The turnout at an open house for the new YMCA in Shorewood showed public enthusiasm for the new facility.

YMCA officials estimate attendance for the three-hour event on Saturday was about 2,500, which was more than they had expected.

The YMCA on Saturday also topped 6,000 members at the new facility, which opened the previous Monday.

The Village of Shorewood YMCA replaces the Galowich Family YMCA in Joliet, which had a membership of about 2,500.

“About all 2,500 have transferred from Galowich,” said Katy Leclair, president and CEO of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA.

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA now has facilities in Shorewood, Plainfield and Morris but none any longer in Joliet.

The closing of the Galowich YMCA on Houbolt Road followed the closing of the Smith Family YMCA on Briggs Street in Joliet in 2021.

Membership is not restricted by municipal boundaries, however.

“People have asked if you have to be a resident of Shorewood to join,” Leclair said. “You don’t.”

There is more room for members at the Shorewood YMCA. At 60,000 square feet, it is twice the size of the Galowich facility.

That means a bigger swimming pool, improved fitness facilities, and a variety of rooms to be used for kids, adults and even babysitting when parents and guardians are using the Y.

Felicia Frazier lives in Minooka and now uses the C.W. Avery Family YMCA in Plainfield.

“I’m looking to move here,” Frazier said while walking a treadmill during the open house.

The Shorewood facility is “much closer” to home, and she likes the new exercise rooms, Frazier said.

Kevin and Kelly Hennessy of Rockdale are among the Galowich families who have moved membership to the Shorewood Y.

“Our son’s a member,” Kevin said.

“He loves it,” Kelly said, noting their son was busy at the Y, and they expected to be there until the open house ended. “That’s why we signed him up – to get him active.“

“My kids love it,” Carmen Bates of Minooka said. “One loves basketball, and the other said, ‘Mom, there’s a pool.’”

In addition to an eight-lane pool and gym, the Shorewood Y has group exercise studios, a cycling studio, a wellness center, youth play spaces, indoor and outdoor walking tracks, an outdoor playground, and fields for summer camp and youth programs.

“We have enough space that there is equipment for everyone,” said Carolyn Hamilton, chief marketing and strategy officer for the Greater Joliet Area YMCA.

The Village of Shorewood YMCA is located on the west end of the village at 1801 W. Jefferson St.

It is an area that is seeing new home construction.

Rich Zidrich of Shorewood lives near the Y and was at the open house.

“We’re just trying to see if this would fit our lifestyle,” Zidrich said. “We’re very impressed with the equipment and the amount of room.”