To better meet the needs of its 2,400 Central Wisconsin members, the South Wood County YMCA envisioned a new facility to consolidate the services of two smaller facilities into a central location in Wisconsin Rapids.

To further enhance the YMCA’s position in the community, additional stakeholders, medical providers, the school district, and the local Boys and Girls Club were all considered in developing a new facility. Zimmerman collaborated with YMCA leadership to create a building program and space needs analysis.

After investigating several additional sites, the YMCA requested Zimmerman evaluate an existing vacant shopping center for adaptive reuse opportunities. With several modifications to the existing structure, the South Wood County YMCA was able to identify its new home.

The new center features an aquatic center with competitive swimming lanes, a lazy river, a splash pad, group exercise studios with lounge areas, a childcare and kid’s adventure center, a teaching kitchen with a community garden, an indoor track, administration areas, and other typical support spaces.

The project also includes a new Wisconsin Rapids Boys and Girls Club, which has a teen area, multi-purpose rooms, classrooms, and quiet spaces that can support STEM, arts, and music education. A final component of the project is the inclusion of a walk-in VA clinic. The project was completed and opened during the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020.