For more than three decades, the Jerry L. Garver YMCA has been part of daily life in Southeast Columbus. It is where kids learned to swim, parents squeezed in workouts, and neighbors crossed paths in familiar hallways.
That chapter will come to an end this spring.
The YMCA of Central Ohio has announced that the Jerry L. Garver YMCA will permanently close on May 30, 2026, with the building’s final day of operations set for May 29.
According to the organization, the decision followed an evaluation of the facility and its ability to serve the community long term. The building’s limitations and declining use made it harder to maintain programs at the level the YMCA aims to provide.
The closure is not immediate.
Classes, childcare, and other programs will continue through May, giving members and families time to adjust and plan what comes next.
The YMCA says staff members affected by the closure will be supported and offered opportunities to move to other locations within the organization.
The building itself will also have a future. The property is being sold to the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, which plans to redevelop the site for housing. While details are still being finalized, the goal is for the space to continue serving the neighborhood in a new way.
For members, the transition will be gradual.
Those who currently use Garver as their home YMCA will be asked to select a new location in the coming months. If they do not, memberships will eventually be transferred to the Reynoldsburg Community Center YMCA, one of the system’s newer facilities.
YMCA leadership says this does not mean they are stepping away from Southeast Columbus. Programs like day camp and preschool are expected to continue in the area, though possibly at different locations, and many family support services will remain in place.
For more info about the closure, head over to ymcacolumbus.org.
