GARY – Indiana Governor Mike Braun is increasing access to childcare, health care, and other community programs through the Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) as today, Gary celebrates the completion of a new community asset, the Gary YMCA at Tolleston Opportunity Campus.
“The new Gary YMCA is a significant milestone for this community as we work together to boost quality of life and opportunity for Hoosiers across Northwest Indiana,” said Gov. Braun. “The development will serve workers, families and kids throughout Gary and the surrounding region, creating a vibrant hub for gathering and bringing more service-focused programming and opportunities to Hoosiers to improve health and wellness.”
The $48 million community hub is a 110,000-square-foot facility – featuring a new 70,000-square-foot YMCA connected to the renovated Gary Boys & Girls Club – in the Tolleston neighborhood, bringing to life new opportunities and programming for youth development and wellness. The new YMCA facility is a partnership with Crossroads YMCA, Methodist Hospitals, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana and features classrooms, a wellness center, a teaching kitchen, outdoor recreation areas, community gathering spaces, and a childcare center for infants and preschoolers.
“Growing Indiana starts with creating communities where Hoosiers have what they need to build a good life and pursue greater opportunities,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Chuck Goodrich. “Access to childcare, health and wellness resources, and places that bring people together strengthens our workforce and helps communities attract and retain talent. The Gary YMCA is exactly the kind of locally driven investment that makes Northwest Indiana stronger and helps us grow Indiana.”
“This is about much more than opening a building,” Jay Buckmaster, President/CEO of Crossroads YMCA, said. “It is about creating opportunity and belonging. Every child deserves a safe place to learn, play, and grow. Every family deserves access to resources that help them thrive. And every community deserves places that bring people together. That is what we believe this YMCA can become for Gary.”
The Gary YMCA at Tolleston Opportunity Campus received $10 million in READI 1.0 funding, supporting its development as a transformative community resource. Indiana’s READI program is a $1.25 billion investment in regional-led strategies designed to strengthen communities, retain and attract top talent, and increase opportunities for Hoosiers for years to come.
Gary is part of the Northwest Indiana READI region – led by the Northwest Indiana Forum – that was awarded $95 million total in READI 1.0 and READI 2.0 matching funds to support quality of life, quality of place, and quality of opportunity projects across Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, Pulaski, and Starke counties. The region’s READI investments are designed to create a dynamic economic environment fueled by innovation, diversity and talent by investing in the advanced energy sector, expanding investment-ready assets, developing opportunity campuses to support communities, enhance destination development and amplify regional innovation and creative cultures.
Learn more at IndianaREADI.com.
