Columbus State Community College to propose Columbus State YMCA

Columbus State Community College and the YMCA of Central Ohio have come together to propose that a new facility be built on the downtown campus of CSCC. The facility would be the Columbus State YMCA, and it would serve students through offering amenities like a pool and intramural sports and services like drop-in childcare for student parents. CSCC and the YMCA of Central Ohio will officially propose the plan to the student body during the Fall 2025 semester and will put up a vote to see if students are interested, and if they are interested in paying the proposed student fees that would help fund the construction of the project. If the student body votes in favor and the project is approved by the college’s Board of Trustees and the Ohio Department of Education, the facility would be planned to open in fall of 2028.

According to an article on Columbus State Community College’s website, David Harrison, who serves as the college’s president, was quoted as saying of the partnership, “This transformative partnership with the YMCA will help enhance student success by addressing some of the non-academic barriers that can derail students’ plans. By offering health, well-being and drop-in child care, the Columbus State YMCA will provide new resources for our students, particularly those who work, are parents, or both. At the same time, the Columbus State Y will be a community asset for those who live and work near downtown.”

The proposed facility would be located on the college’s downtown campus at Long Street and Cleveland Avenue, which is currently a parking lot. The building will be 50,000 square feet and will offer a gym, pickleball courts, a pool, an indoor track, dedicated studios, basketball courts, greenspace, and a walking path. It will also provide free drop-in childcare for Columbus State Community College students for up to five hours per day. Childcare would be provided by licensed YMCA Youth Development experts and would be free for students, beyond the proposed $65-per-semester fee that students will be voting on this fall. 

A webpage discussing the partnership and proposal notes that the vote will occur from September 16 through September 30, 2025. Students who are enrolled either full or part time in the Fall 2025 are invited to vote on the proposal, but students who are enrolled in College Credit Plus, noncredit, and registered apprenticeship programs are ineligible to vote because they would be exempt from paying the fee should the proposal pass. The student fee would be $65 per semester, and this pool of money would be the primary funding source of the new Columbus State YMCA. The fee would not go into effect until the fall of 2028 to coincide with the opening of the facility. Despite the fee not being collected until 2028, students would have access to all YMCAs beginning in the spring of 2026.

Tony Collins, the president and CEO of the YMCA of Central Ohio, said, “This proposal has the potential to be a catalyst for the continued growth of the Discovery District. In partnership with Columbus State, we envision a state-of-the-art facility that advances student success, especially for parents balancing academics and family, while strengthening the health and vitality of the Creative Campus and restoring YMCA programs and services to the downtown community.”

The proposed Columbus State YMCA would provide a number of benefits to students that would aid in their success throughout their college journey, including free childcare, which can often be a barrier to college graduation, and fitness and wellbeing classes and services. Additionally, the facility would also enhance some existing academic programs, like Sport and Exercise Studies.

The facility would be available to anyone in the community to access as well, provided they purchase a membership. The free drop-in childcare would be reserved solely for Columbus State Community College students.

For more information about Columbus State Community College, visit the school’s website.