YMCA Still Slated for Sussex; Fundraising to Start Next Year

After determining in 2009 that Sussex was a viable location in for a YMCA branch, the organization says it’s almost ready get the process rolling on a new facility with fundraising to start in 12 to 18 months.

Chris Becker, executive director of the Waukesha Family YMCA, said the recently opened Mukwonago location is occupying a tremendous amount of staff resources, so Sussex will have to wait a bit longer.

“There was this level of readiness in the Mukwonago area for a YMCA,” Becker said. “They’ve raised $10 million to date and broke ground last September. What we’re hoping to do is stabilize operations at that YMCA, hire the right people and build membership. Once we feel that’s on solid ground, I will move my efforts toward fundraising in Sussex, Pewaukee and Merton to get the Sussex location engaged.”

Becker said about $12 million will need to be raised to build a YMCA in Sussex.

Back in 2009, YMCA conducted a study and held some “learn-and-listen” sessions to test if Sussex was an appropriate location for a new site. The results showed the facility was “no doubt needed and wanted” by residents.

Becker said about $12 million will need to be raised to build a YMCA in Sussex, but during recent economic times, it was unrealistic to raise that much money. However, with the same level of support Mukwonago’s residents showed, Becker is confident Sussex can do the same.

Future Concept Design

With the research conducted in 2009 at hand, the YMCA hired an architectural team to mock up a design for the proposed facility.

Nestled on the corner of Highway 164 and Lisbon Road, architects envisioned a 75,000-square-foot YMCA connected to a new 100,000-square-foot outpatient clinic to create a “healthy lifestyle” community.

Along with offering joint programming like health screenings, rehabilitation and stress management, the massive facility would also offer “a three-lane walking/jogging track, warm water therapy/instructional pool, a leisure pool, community rooms, gymnasiums, a fitness center, and an attached but separate child care center.”

Becker, however, wants to remind residents the design is a concept, and he says Sussex’s YMCA would look much like Mukwonago’s facility once it’s completed.

“I’m convinced the Sussex 'Y' would be bigger than the one in Mukwonago just because the demographics are much larger and stronger,” Becker said. “And there’s still no promise that a YMCA is even coming. We’re really going to work on it.”