By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our free e-newsletter
ROCKFORD — The YMCA of Rock River Valley on Thursday unveiled its $3.7 million transformation of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd into the new Good Shepherd YMCA.
The newest YMCA location, 1829 N. Rockton Ave., has open hours for members on weekday mornings and daytime and evening hours on weekends. It’s dedicated solely to youth programs from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The new Y officially opens to members on Monday.
More news: Rockford Public Schools to remodel building near Jefferson for new career education center
The hub for youth activities is on the lower level of the Good Shepherd Y, where you’ll find an art studio, tech room, lounge area, kitchen and cafeteria, sensory space, and game space with a pool table, air hockey, foosball and ping pong.
The 24,000-square-foot facility also has a fitness center, exercise studio for group classes and a multipurpose gym for pickleball, basketball and other activities.
“So much has moved farther and farther east from this community, so we’ve been really grateful to be able to put a resource back in,”said Becca Homb, executive director of the Good Shepherd YMCA. “The vision for this place is really to be a place that’s for all, for everyone to experience welcoming and belonging whether that’s through active older adults classes, get-togethers playing sports or basketball in the gym, whether it’s through youth programming, or finding physical health, mental health.”
The Y started a partnership with Good Shepherd in December 2020 to provide youth programs in the space. It was considered an ideal location because youth could walk to the program from West Middle School, which is across the street.
“It didn’t take long to realize this space was a YMCA in the making,” said Skip Trotter, chairperson of the YMCA’s board of directors. “We told you in March at the groundbreaking that next time you’d be here it will look complete different, and it sure does.”
There will still be additional improvements, including the addition of an eight-piece Matrix series of exercise machines for a total body workout, additional benches, dumbbells and other equipment.
More news: Goodwill to open Excel Center at downtown YMCA, swapping plans to build at North Towne Mall
The church, like many across the country, had been getting smaller since about 1968 and no longer needed all the space it had, said Rev. Eric Lemonholm, pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. It looked for a way it could best share its space with the community.
The church donated the building to the Y in December 2022. It still has chapel space in the building, but the place where the congregation gathered for years is now a small basketball court and multipupose gym.
“Many weeks this room was used for one hour a week, and now it’s going to be full of kids every day and full of adults every day exercising,” Lemonholm said. “And this place is still a place of prayer, of worship, of celebration, of building community. …
“We’re so happy to say this building belongs to the neighborhood now. This building belongs to the children of our community. It belongs to you.”
The Y began fundraising to pay for renovations after acquiring the church. Rick and Lana Engen were the lead donors on the project.
The project was also funded by a $750,000 federal grant secured by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and former Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and $1.1 million in state funding secured by state Sen. Steve Stadelman and state Rep. Maurice West.
The city provided about $300,000 to provide for kitchen supplies and a van for transportation. The Winnebago County Mental Health Board also provided sales tax funding for capital expenses and to allow for a mental health counselor to be on site.
The renovations were designed by Hagney Architects and completed by Schmeling Construction.
The renovation is one part of the first phase of a $15 million to $20 million Elevate fundraising campaign from the Y to improve facilities and bolster programs.
The Good Shepherd Y is the YMCA of Rock River Valley’s four branch. The other three are SwedishAmerican Riverfront YMCA, 200 Y. Blvd.; Northeast Family YMCA, 8451 Orth Road, Loves Park; and the Puri Family YMCA, 1475 S. Perryville Road, Rockford.
Members are welcome at all four locations.
About | Good Shepherd YMCA
Where: 1829 N. Rockton Ave., Rockford
Opening day: Monday, Nov. 18
Hours: 5 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Youth programs happen from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
Contact: 815-489-1227
Info/membership: Go HERE
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas