When Rhonda Robson became CEO of the Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA in 2018, she brought a vision. And on Friday, April 25, that vision came to life as Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA staff cut the ribbon on its newly expanded Early Learning and Youth Development Center.
The 12,000-square-foot expansion includes four early learning rooms for children aged six weeks through preschool, two multipurpose flex rooms for older youth and teens, and a large indoor playground that gives a subtle nod to South Sioux City’s location near the river.
“My idea of this was like, we’re on the river. We should have like kind of a water theme, right?” said Robson. “And so [the playground] is an ocean theme. It’s a little different, but something that kind of sparks the imagination.”
It is a space designed to not only spark imagination, but also encourage development and fill a major gap in services for Siouxland families, said Robson.
“The YMCA is all about strengthening the foundations of the community,” Robson said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “And, so, what that means is that we need to find gaps — within the scope of our mission, youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility — and we need to find those gaps so that we can help address them. And so today is a major moment, because here at the YMCA, we want to fill that gap, and we’ve done it in a big way.”
The new facility will host this year’s summer camp, which serves children from preschool through fifth grade, in addition to expanding the YMCA’s daycare and early learning facilities.
Support for the project has come from across Siouxland. The YMCA has already raised over $4.3 million of its $5 million fundraising goal, thanks to donors, foundations, and public partners.
Local leaders also voiced their appreciation for what the new Early Learning and Youth Development Center means for the city and region.
“On behalf of Mayor Koch and members of the city council, we’re extremely proud of what’s happening in this facility,” said Lance Hedquist, South Sioux City City Administrator. “In terms of all the kids that are going to be served at this new location, it’s a great asset for all the businesses and all the industries in our community. We’re very proud to have the Y in our town, in our area, and in Siouxland.”
Chris McGowan, President of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and Siouxland Initiative, added how the facility can make Siouxland more appealing to outside businesses.
“Sometimes we overlook how significant an impact like this is to the broader community,” McGowan said. “Just 48 hours ago, Lance Hedquist and I were recruiting a major international economic development opportunity . . . and this was a key part of their tour because they wanted to understand our commitment to quality of life.”
For Robson and her team, the Youth Development Center is both a physical space and a symbol of progress and community commitment.
“This is dedicated to Siouxland and the gap that we are filling for our community,” Robson said.
The YMCA plans to officially open the space to the public in the coming weeks.
