YMCA Branch In Cedar Rapids Closes Permanently

YMCA members on the Northeast side of Cedar Rapids who enjoyed the convenience of a facility near them will now have to go a little further.

The Mercy Health Plaza located at 5264 Council St. Northeast was a smaller facility, with one floor featuring only weights, exercise machines and a running/walking track. With its connection to Mercy Medical Center, it served nearly 1400 users a year since opening in 2013.

As you might expect, the closure was mostly a financial decision due to the Coronavirus pandemic and they are working to re-allocate resources and find jobs for their staff at any of the remaining Cedar Rapids YMCA branches.

Helen G. Nassif YMCA in downtown Cedar Rapids along with Stoney Point and Marion YMCA locations remain open. Another branch affiliated with Marion Independent Schools is currently closed, with its hours being determined by the school.

Construction on a new regional YMCA in Marion is still on track to be completed in late December 2020 or January 2021, according to Cedar Rapids Metro Area YMCA President Bob Carlson in an interview with the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Camp Wapsie has been canceled since March and more than $1 million in revenue has been lost from that program alone. That, and losses from memberships, are hitting the nonprofit organization hard. It was a tough decision but the easiest one to make to close this location down in order to keep the YMCA's mission successful in Cedar Rapids, according to Carlson.