South YMCA targets mid-June reopening after Boardman River flood damage

Floodwater and silt tore through the South YMCA in Traverse City, damaging about 70 percent of the indoor pickleball courts and destroying wood floors in two racquetball courts and a squash court. YMCA leaders were still working through the losses, but the goal was to have the building back open by mid-June so summer camp could stay on schedule.

The damage came during a countywide flood emergency that pushed Grand Traverse County into a local state of emergency on April 14. The Boardman River crested at 7.91 feet at Beitner Road that afternoon, topping the previous record of 7.03 feet set in September 2023. By April 20, the river had dropped below flood advisory stage, the county’s emergency operations were moving from response to recovery, and the number of closed roads had fallen from eight at the height of the event to four.

At the YMCA, the flood reached deep into the building. Staff had already restarted damage assessments as the water receded, and a restoration company was set to begin cleanup Monday. The pickleball courts had been resurfaced recently, so workers still had to determine how much water had worked through to the concrete floors underneath. In the back of the facility, the wood floors in the racquetball and squash courts were ruined. Nearby, Garfield Township’s outdoor pickleball courts were also left coated in silt and remained closed until a cleanup plan could be put in place.

The stakes go well beyond damaged flooring. Grand Traverse Bay YMCA has served the region since 1964 and says it reaches more than 15,000 members each year. The organization also says it provides more than $125,000 in membership financial assistance, through 449 financial assistance units in 2024. Its programs include summer day camp, year-round licensed childcare in Traverse City, swim lessons and group sports, which makes the reopening timeline especially important for families trying to lock in summer plans.

That urgency is familiar in a county where camp spots disappear fast. The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA sold out 10 weeks of summer camp programming in about 90 seconds in 2025, a reminder that the South YMCA is not just a workout space but a daily fixture for children, parents and caregivers. As repairs move ahead, the flood has become a test of how quickly one of Traverse City’s most heavily used community hubs can be restored and better protected before the next high water arrives.