Eastside Y Outdoor Pools Update

Update: May 4th, 2026

Thank you for sharing your feedback on the summer programs and opportunities that matter most to you and your family. We’re grateful that more than 250 YMCA members and community neighbors took the time to respond—your voices are directly shaping what summer looks like this year at the Eastside Family YMCA. 

One theme came through clearly: a desire for adjusted Sunday hours and more opportunities for family and community connection. 

In response to your input, we’re making a change. Beginning Sunday, May 31, our Sunday hours will shift to 9 a.m.–3 p.m., giving families more flexibility later in the day. 

The other top request was for family and community engagement opportunities. Driven by your direction, we’re excited to introduce new programs designed to bring families and neighbors together. From hands-on learning to shared experiences, these offerings create more ways to connect, grow and belong at the Y. 

Pool Programs & Events – Registration Open Now! 

• Water Safety Day – Open House 

Join us for a fun and educational Water Safety Day at the YMCA! Families are invited to explore a variety of interactive stations focused on essential water safety skills in the pool—from basic safety tips to hands-on demonstrations. Our certified lifeguards and swim instructors will be at each station to guide, teach, and answer questions, helping your family build confidence in and around the water. This is an open house-style event, so you can arrive anytime during the scheduled hours and move through the stations at your own pace. 
📅Saturday, May 30 | 🕔 10:30 AM-12:00 PM 

• Float Into Summer 

Kick off the season with a splash at our Float into Summer! indoor pool party at the YMCA! Enjoy a fun-filled time in the pool while cooling off with delicious ice cream floats served on the pool deck. Bring your inflatable inner tubes (no rafts or large floats, please) and enjoy floating, playing, and connecting with friends and family. Pool noodles will be available for everyone to use. 
📅 Saturday, June 20 | 🕔 1:00-3:00 PM 

• Flick & Float 

The night begins with a pizza party in the GE Room, followed by a unique movie experience as we head to the pool to watch a film projected on the big screen. Bring your own floats or inner tubes and relax in the water while enjoying the movie. Pool noodles will also be available for use. 
📅 Friday, July 24 | 🕔 5:30-7:30 PM 

• An Aloha Summer Luau  
  A fun-filled indoor pool party for the whole family! Enjoy a festive atmosphere, time in the pool, and light refreshments as we celebrate the end of the summer season together. 
  📅 Thursday, August 20 | 🕔 6-7:30 PM 

Land Programs & Events 

• Engineer-IT (in partnership with Wabtec) 
  Featuring a hands-on catapult water balloon launch experience, with plans to include summer camp participants 

• Murph Workout 
  A CrossFit-style workout honoring the service and sacrifice of U.S. military members 
  📅 Friday, May 22 at 10:00 AM 

• Parent’s Night Out 
  📅 Friday, May 22 | 🕔 5:00–8:00 PM 
  Providing families with a trusted, fun environment for kids while parents enjoy an evening out. Pizza will be provided by Donatos. 

• Family Dart Blaster Night 
  📅 August 13 | 🕕 6:00–7:30 PM | Gym 2 
  An action-packed evening designed for all ages, focused on fun, friendly competition, and family connection 

Looking Ahead: Community Input & Next Steps 
CEO Jim McEldowney issued a Request for Proposals from agencies to conduct the community’s feasibility study. Proposals have been submitted, and our team is reviewing them now.  

Once a firm is selected and the study is completed, we will move forward with scheduling our first task force committee meeting to review the results and gain a deeper understanding of what our community needs and values most for this important space.  

Emails have been sent to individuals who expressed interest in participating on the task force. While we are unable to include everyone due to size and structure, we are committed to forming a well-rounded, diverse committee that reflects the voices and needs of our community. Even if you are not selected to serve on the committee, your insight and support are vital to this process. 

Lastly, Jim is still working with attorneys and Harborcreek Township leaders to address the ownership of the three parcels of land near the entrance of the Eastside Y. Appraisals of the parcels are in process. 

We appreciate your partnership in this process and will share more updates soon.  

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Outdoor Pool at the Eastside YMCA 

Thank you to everyone who came out to the recent Town Hall meetings to discuss the outdoor pool at the Eastside YMCA. Our team was grateful for your questions and feedback. If you were unable to join us but would like to review the presentation, you can find it here. 

Our team has met to review notes and define next steps. In the coming weeks, several things will be taking shape: 

• CEO Jim McEldowney will begin the process of researching a consulting firm that will engage the community to help determine the needs and best use of the existing space. Our goal is to make the facility a lively, useful space that best serves our community in a financially responsible way. We do not have any pre-determined agendas on what this might be – the long-term vision will truly be driven by public insight. He is also in the final stages of resolving the ownership issue of the pool and three parcels of property at the entry to the Eastside YMCA. 

• Our team received many messages from people interested in volunteering on a project committee. If you were not present at the meetings but would like to contribute, please reach out to Kelly Gibson, Executive Director at the Eastside YMCA, at [email protected]. We will be outlining subcommittees soon, and sharing opportunities to get involved. 

Lastly, as Jim shared in the meetings, the outdoor pool will not open this summer. We understand this is disappointing, but our team is looking at offering alternative ideas that may be of interest to our members and community. Please take this short survey to share ways we can make the Y meaningful to you this summer!  

In the meantime, please know that our property team will maintain the outdoor pool area to prevent further disrepair, and so that if the ultimate solution is a pool, we will be prepared to move forward. 

We will continue to share updates. Thank you again for being a key part of this next chapter for the YMCA of Greater Erie.