YMCA of South Florida Celebrates Grand Opening of the Barbara and Philip Wong Aquatic Center

New zero-depth swimming pool at South Dade YMCA will serve more than 18,000 Miami-Dade residents

By South Florida Updates, Neighbor

Sep 14, 2026 4:38 PM EDT

This post was contributed by a community member.

(L to R) Matthew A. Love; DeAnn Hazey; Sheryl A. Woods; Kim Voet; Dr. Katharine Button; (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

Representatives from the YMCA of South Florida recently hosted a reception with community leaders and donors to celebrate the grand opening of the Barbara and Philip Wong Aquatic Center. Named after its generous benefactors, Mr. and Mrs. Wong, this new addition to the South Dade YMCA Family Center, 9355 SW 134 Street in Miami, is officially open to the public and features a zero-depth entry swimming pool and Nicklaus Children's Health System Cabana that will benefit more than 18,000 residents with accessible and affordable swim lessons for all.

Aside from playing a vital role in advancing the Y's mission to reduce drownings in the community and offering a welcoming place for families to gather and members to relax, the new Barbara and Philip Wong Aquatic Center will also create more jobs in South Dade for swim and fitness instructors, lifeguards and more, provide a safe place for children to play all year long, expand youth sports with a local swim team and bring low-impact aquatic fitness to the community for seniors and adults with limited mobility.

Since 2013, the South Dade YMCA Family Center has served families in the South Dade community with its state-of-the-art wellness center and youth sports. In addition to the new aquatic center, this location also features a recently expanded Kids Zone, indoor cycling studio, personal training, group fitness classes, and a dedicated classroom for semi-private Pilates Reformer sessions.

For more information about the Y, visit ymcasouthflorida.org.

Barbara Wong and Philip Wong (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

(L to R) Richard Ramirez, Council Member Seat 3, Town of Cutler Bay; Sheryl A. Woods; Robert “BJ” Duncan, Council Member Seat 1, Town of Cutler Bay; Etienne Bejarano, Parks & Recreation Director, Town of Cutler Bay (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

Shawn Tolley and Juan Figueras, South Dade YMCA Advisory Board Co-Chairs (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

(BACK) Gene McLean; Shawn Tolley; Juan Figueras; Richard Edelman; Greg Schweitzer; John Penney; Scott Blackburn (FRONT) Elizabeth Sanchez; Barbara Wong; Sheryl A. Woods; Rachel Blackburn (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

(L to R) YMCA of South Florida Board of Directors – Marilyn Pascual (Chair); Caridad Errazquin (Treasurer); Dr. Calvin Johnson; Arlene Coke; Conrad Coke (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

(L to R) David Promoff, Jay Steinman, Riva Steinman, Adrienne Promoff (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

(L to R) Sheryl A. Woods, President & CEO, YMCA of South Florida; Ana Nguyen; Aimee Fretwell, Vice President, Corporate Events & Community Partnerships, YMCA of South Florida (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

Aquatic fitness classes are offered at the new YMCA Barbara and Philip Wong Aquatic Center at South Dade YMCA. (Courtesy - YMCA of South Florida)

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