New Rock Island YMCA/library opens to rave reviews

Frank Lambert was searching for a new favorite book as he looked over the new Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch Tuesday morning, Feb. 7. He had nothing but praise for the facility. “I love it. You should have seen this place two months ago when work was going on. … This has been a […]

Frank Lambert was searching for a new favorite book as he looked over the new Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch Tuesday morning, Feb. 7. He had nothing but praise for the facility. “I love it. You should have seen this place two months ago when work was going on. … This has been a dream of ours to get this new facility done,” said Mr. Lambert, a member of the Rock Island Public Library Foundation.  Mr. Lambert was one of several hundred people who helped welcome a remodeled and repurposed two-part facility to Rock Island – the Two Rivers YMCA-Rock Island Branch and the Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch in one building at 2715 30th St. The building is the former home of the Tri-Center Jewish Center. 

Hundreds of people took part in a “ribbon-tying” ceremony to symbolize the joining of the two organizations. It was followed by tours of the new, nearly $10 million project. The project is the culmination of nearly 10 years of planning for the Rock Island Public Library. “This library branch ensures that every Rock Islander is within three miles of a public library. Our partnership has allowed us to offer everything people wanted in a branch – a large community room, internet connectivity, conference room, study rooms, teen area and outdoor space – for a fraction of the cost of doing the project alone,” said Angela Campbell, Rock Island Public Library director.

“The new facility is truly a place where people can improve in spirit, mind and body,” said Mike Wennekamp, CEO of Two Rivers YMCA. He added that the new Y facility will be a unique place specifically designed to meet the needs of the community. “There is an old saying at the Y – ‘If you’ve seen one Y, you’ve seen one Y.’ … Every community is unique,” Mr. Wennekamp said. Other government and community leaders also had words of praise for the new two-part location. “It’s an outstanding facility. … What a collaboration. Isn’t it great?” Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms said.. Jenni Swanson, Rock Island Fourth Ward alderwoman and a member of the library board, called the facility a “dream come true” and thanked the people and organizations that helped make that dream a reality. Library and YMCA officials said the project is a unique collaboration between the YMCA and library. It is only the third of its kind throughout the country.  The new library branch is named in honor of the late library board member Lorene Evans Watts, and her son, current library board president Eudell Watts, III. Mr. Watts also serves on the Rock Island Public Library Foundation and has raised more than $50,000 to support children services through a fund in honor of his late mother, who was a former teacher. “If she was present, she would probably be in a state of shock,” Mr. Watts said with a laugh during Tuesday’s events. Some of the features of the two-part facility include:

• The Watts-Midtown library branch has 9,667 square feet with computers, two study rooms, conference room, a 14-seat auditorium community room and outdoor reading patio.
• The YMCA has 29,676 square feet, and the two organizations will share 3,509 square-feet, including the main lobby and a commons area. The Y side of the building has equipment that includes treadmills, weights, a two-lane track, 36 new cardio equipment machines, a six-basket gym, youth development room, loker rooms with dry sauna, an adventure center for children.
• To accommodate late-night Y guests, the library will install an after-hour book locker in the shared lobby of the building. Installation of the outside book return and exterior patio will take place this spring.

While members of the community got a look at the two facilities Tuesday morning, both organizations will ease into operations in the coming days. For instance, this week the new library branch will be open with limited hours and services. The opening week hours are 10 a.m-6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, through Friday, Feb. 10; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. Starting on Monday, Feb. 13, the library branch will be open full hours, which are 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Fridays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays. The library’s official grand opening ceremony will be Saturday, March 11. The Rock Island YMCA will open exclusively for charter members on Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 4:30 a.m.-9 p.m. All members will be welcome starting Thursday, Feb. 9.  At that time, the hours of operation will be 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays; 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The Rock Island YMCA members can also use the 53rd Street YMCA in Moline, Bass Street YMCA in downtown Moline and the Kewanee YMCA. For more information on the facilities, go to tworiversymca.org and rockislandlibrary.org