Chicago YMCAs Where People Skated

I emailed YMCA Chicago for information on the three Ys where people skated on the south and west sides of the city. Following is the information provided.

Hyde Park YMCA

Located at 1400 E. 53rd Street (Dorchester & 53rd), Hyde Park YMCA Opened in January 1923 and closed in August 1980.

Sears YMCA

Sears YMCA opened in 1910s. The address was 3210 W. Arthington St., Chicago. It was built as a part of the Sears, Roebuck and Co. campus back in the day; they wanted to encourage after-work socialization to keep high morale among their employees. They added a clubhouse and tennis courts, and the Sears Department of the YMCA. The building included 290 resident rooms. It also has a swimming pool, gymnasium, athletic field, tennis and hand ball courts, and game rooms.  Sears moved to the Sears Tower in 1973 and the Y operated as a membership center in that location until 1989. We then leased a portion of the space back as a Child Care Center for awhile.

Wabash YMCA 

Wabash YMCA, located at 3763 S. Wabash Avenue, operated from 1913 to 2014. It closed in the late 1970’s-early 1980’s and reopened in 2001. Note that Julius Rosenwald, President of Sears, Roebuck and Co., provided the seed money for the YMCA to construct the Wabash YMCA, which was the center of Chicago’s African-American culture in the early 1900s.

Since that conversation, people have mentioned three more Ys where they skated:

60th & Ashland

91st & Commercial

81st & Racine

I contacted YMCA for more information. I’ll let you know what they  say. Also, if you skated at any of the Ys listed, please share your stories and memories in the comment box below.

Image credits: Brands of the World, YMCA Chicago