Building Community – Watertown Area YMCA

The New Free Weight Center Will Honor Long-standing Community Leader

The rich heritage of Watertown continues to be reflected in the plans for our future facility as we announce our new free weight area as the “John David Free Weight Center”, in honor John David’s enduring legacy.

This naming opportunity stemmed from a generous donation to the Y’s Capital Campaign from Maas Brothers Construction, who felt compelled to pass along their naming rights in honor of a deserving Watertown community leader.

Having recently celebrated their 100th anniversary as part of the Watertown business community, Maas Brothers Construction decided to support the Y’s project as a way to give back to their hometown. Anthony Maas, President, Maas Brothers Construction, shared, “We think it’s important to invest in community assets like the YMCA to help improve the lives of our employees, customers, and the city as a whole.”

Anthony explained, “John David dedicated an incredible amount of his time to helping maintain and improve his hometown. He not only served as the Mayor and an alderman for several years, but also contributed greatly on numerous boards, in various volunteer capacities, and as a small business owner. His contributions will continue to be felt in Watertown for a long time to come and we couldn’t think of a more worthy person to dedicate that space to.”

The area selected for the naming was inspired by John’s grandsons, Andrew, Ben and Alex with their frequent use of the current free weight area at the Y’s Eighth Street location. Andrew David, currently a college student, shared, “It’s nice when I’m home from school to go to the Y to see friends, that’s really where we’ll hang out. We lift weights, play basketball and socialize … It’s not just about working out, it’s about the community there.”

John David’s family expressed how humbled John was when he learned of the naming. John’s son, Aaron, shared a quote from his father, who passed away last year, “I never did anything to be recognized, I only did it because I love Watertown and wanted it to be the best community it could be.”

The John David Free Weight Center will be centrally positioned within the new YMCA facility and will feature double story windows with spectacular views of the river. The expansive space is slated for updated equipment including double half racks to maximize space, selectorized ultra series, additional plate loaded equipment, olympic benches, bars, plates, and additional cardio pieces to meet the growing population of members.

About the Capital Campaign

In Fall of 2023, we publicly announced a Capital Campaign to build a new full facility YMCA in Watertown that will replace our current branch on Eighth Street.

This new facility will be built adjacent to The Collective, a community hub which recently opened in Watertown at the old Bethesda Headquarters. The new building will connect to the current Ehlinger Center (satellite express Y) that opened at The Collective in July of 2023.

The project is planned in two phases:

Phase I

Phase I is focused on replacing our current amenities at the former high school and includes:

Community gathering spaces
A large free weight center
Fitness and immersive cycling studios
Multipurpose program spaces
Locker rooms
Kid’s Corner
A large gymnasium
An indoor track

Phase II

Phase II will include an aquatic center and will be built when funding is available. We will work with community leaders to define how the Riverside Middle School pool and the YMCA pool will work in partnership to fully meet the community’s aquatic needs.

The goal for the public phase of the Capital Campaign is set at $1.7 million to complete Phase I of the project, which has been prioritized due to the aging infrastructure of the old high school and accessibility limitations.