Prairie Summit YMCA breaks ground in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — School district and city officials broke ground on the new building Tuesday. Prairie Summit YMCA in Cedar Rapids.

The project calls for the construction of a mixed-use facility in the 100 block of 76th Avenue Southwest, near Prairie Heights Elementary School. It includes several fitness centers, including:

Territory with lawn
Cardio and fitness room
Pools for competitions and recreation
Locker rooms
Two wooden competition courts
Two multifunctional fitness rooms
Walking path

These facilities will be connected by a central core area which will house several different amenities including:

Lobby
Small cafe with tables
Gathering place
YMCA administrative offices

Community College School District Superintendent Doug Wheeler said the project has been in the works on the southwest side for quite some time.

Plans for the project were first announced more than two decades ago. However, the project was only able to move forward in November 2023, when voters approved $43 million bondmodernize city infrastructure.

“The response from the community has been great,” Wheeler said. “When we talked to our community about building a pool, many people said it was time. But we have a lot of needs in our schools and our community.”

The project is being implemented by several agencies, including:

Conlon Construction
OPN Architects
City of Cedar Rapids
College School District
Cedar Rapids Metro Area YMCA

YMCA of Cedar Rapids President and CEO Bob Carlson said this is a great way for them to help expand athletic programs in the area.

“This is an area south of Cedar Rapids that needs recreational programs, water, pools and things like that,” Carlson said.

Work on the site is expected to begin this fall. Construction is expected to take about a year and a half. You can read more about the project Here.

Check out these photos of the breakthrough below:

You can learn more about the Community College School District and its programs. Here.