Bronx pols attend South Bronx’s La Central YMCA opening

Bronx politicians attended the grand opening of the La Central YMCA of Greater New York on Oct. 27.

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr., state Senator Luis Sepúlveda and Sharon Greenberger, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York, were in attendance.

Bronx elected officials attend the opening of the new YMCA in the South Bronx on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. — Bronx elected officials and community leaders attend the opening of the new YMCA in the South Bronx on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022. Photo courtesy DKC Public Relations

According to YMCA officials, the Y will significantly expand its capacity to serve Bronx residents. It will be the 24th YMCA branch in New York City and the third in the Bronx.

“The new 50,000 square foot YMCA is located in ‘The Hub,’ a diverse, vibrant community located at the junction of four major thoroughfares and a number of subway and bus lines,” YMCA officials said in a released statement. “The La Central Y is one of the anchors of a new multi-building, mixed-use development project that includes retail, community, and outdoor recreation space, as well as nearly a thousand new affordable housing units.”