Fry YMCA Concerns with Park District’s Plans
Referendum Proposal: The Naperville Park District is considering a $135 million bond referendum for March 2026. Approximately 86% of that funding—about $120 million—would go toward building an indoor recreation and aquatic center at Frontier Park located in Southwest Naperville by 95th Street and Route 59. The site is approximately 3,800 feet away from the Fry Family YMCA which has served the community since 1995 and offers an indoor pool and aquatics program. While the land is already owned by the Park District, the proposed 138,000-square-foot facility would cost around $862 per square foot to develop. Taxpayer approval is required to move forward.
Why We Oppose the Current Plan: The Fry Family YMCA agrees Naperville needs more indoor recreation space—but not through a plan like this. We urge the Park District to pause, rethink, and collaborate with partners from across the community. Building a large, expensive facility next to existing ones doesn’t solve the problem—it creates new challenges. We believe there is a smarter way forward.
Given that the District is currently soliciting community opinion, we felt compelled to add our voice to the ongoing community dialogue.
Duplicates Services & Facilities
It is not an efficient use of community resources to build a new $120 million taxpayer-funded center practically next door to two facilities that offer many of the same services, including indoor aquatics. The Fry Family YMCA operates a 51,000-square-foot facility with a 25-yard lap pool, which is 3,800 feet from the proposed facility, while a private operator is constructing a new facility with aquatics approximately 4,100 feet from the site at Frontier Park.
$215 Million Over 20 Years From Property Owners
Naperville homeowners and property owners will collectively fund the proposed indoor recreation center with three pools, whether they use the center or not. The total 20-year bond at up to 5% interest adds substantial costs, pushing the community’s total burden to more than $215 million over the next two decades.
Monthly Memberships & Property Taxes
Despite requiring every homeowner and property owner to pay increased property taxes, there will also be a monthly membership fee higher than existing rates at Fort Hill, as well as other program fees to use the new facility. The Naperville Park District projects that fitness-only memberships will increase by 14% to 17%, while combined fitness and aquatics memberships will increase by 114% to 121% compared to current Fort Hill rates. According to the District, an annual family fitness and aquatic membership is expected to cost about $2,160, excluding any increase in property taxes.
Naperville is a thriving community, but affordability is increasingly a concern for more residents. Every property owner in Naperville will have to financially support the $120 million indoor recreation and three-pool facility, regardless of whether they use it or its programming. A $135 million bond, at 5.0% interest for 20 years, will carry significant interest expenses to homeowners and taxpayers. The total cost to the community will likely exceed $215 million over the next two decades, depending on how the bond is structured.
If the District moves forward, a generation of Naperville residents would be required to financially support the indoor recreation and aquatic center in south Naperville through increased property taxes, adding to the burden and cost of living in the community.
The scale and scope of the proposed Frontier Park center differ from those of the existing Fort Hill facility. Despite requiring every property owner to pay increased property taxes, there will also be a substantive monthly membership fee and other program fees:
| Existing: Fort Hill | Proposed Facility: Fitness-Only | Proposed Facility: Fitness & Aquatics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | $35 | $40 (+14%) | $75 (+114%) |
| Household | $84 | $96 (+14%) | $180 (+114%) |
| Senior | $29 | $34 (+17%) | $64 (+121%) |
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Under the currently proposed structure, the total annual cost for a family living in a home valued at $600,000, including a household membership and property taxes increases, would exceed $2,300. An individual living in a $500,000 residence would pay over $1,000 annually for an individual fitness and aquatics membership, including increases in property taxes.
While a lower membership rate would address affordability concerns, it would increase the risk of the facility losing money annually, requiring greater property tax subsidies. A membership at a facility subsidized in part by property taxes, but comparable in price to neighboring private or non-profit operators, raises concerns about the target market that the facility is intended to serve.
A YMCA membership is portable and can be used at any facility across the country. Other private operators offer similar arrangements, which is a benefit of individuals or families choosing this model. The Park District membership can only be used at the two facilities in Naperville.
The Fry Family YMCA is aware of the pressures and operating challenges faced by indoor recreation and aquatic facilities in south Naperville and across the community. Recent facility closures are cautionary lessons. Given the substantial commitment of taxpayer resources to the project, we question the wisdom and financial viability of centralizing three fitness facilities with pools, practically next door to each other, south of 95th Street.
The District estimates that the Frontier Park center will break even by year three, but the publicly available budgets of other fitness, recreation, and aquatic facilities suggest a more complex picture.
We reviewed the most recent financial statements of the Fox Valley Park District’s Vaughn Athletic Center, the Romeoville Aquatic Center, and the Waukegan Park District’s Field House Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Center at Hinkston Park. Each facility is unique, but they all share a commonality: they are operating at a loss and require substantial intergovernmental transfers from property taxes.
This observation isn’t a critique of these operations or communities; it’s a reflection of the difficulty of sustainably operating indoor aquatics and recreation facilities.
The District is already raising property taxes and program fees to fund its upcoming budget. We believe the current expansion proposal carries substantial execution risk given its scope and cost.
If this plan proceeds at the current scale and scope, the District will have limited capacity to add facilities and programming that address indoor recreation needs in central and north Naperville. This reality raises concerns about these areas of town remaining underserved, potentially for decades to come.
Reserving resources for opportunities that may come along is prudent community planning.
Estimated Annual Property Tax Impact to Homeowners:
| Home Market Value | New Additional Property Tax |
|---|---|
| $300,000 | +$81 / Year |
| $400,000 | +$110 / Year |
| $500,000 | +$139 / Year |
| $600,000 | +$168 / Year |
| $700,000 | +$197 / Year |
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Every homeowner and property owner in Naperville will have to financially support the $120 million indoor recreation and three-pool facility, regardless of whether they use it or its programming. The Naperville Park District currently estimates that if the referendum should be approved, 0.0876 cents per $100 of Equalized Assessed Value would be added to the tax rate. The estimates in the table labove include the application of the Homestead Exemption, which lowers the tax burden.
Get Involved
The Fry Family YMCA and its advisory board encourage its members and Naperville residents to urge the Naperville Park District to reconsider their current expansion plans. By taking a pause, the community can explore a partnership model that spreads services across neighborhoods and makes recreation more accessible for everyone.