After more than six decades as a neighborhood staple, the YMCA of El Paso’s Bowling Family YMCA in Northeast El Paso is heading into its final weeks. The nonprofit announced Monday that the branch will close once its lease with the city expires, wrapping up operations on May 15. As part of the YMCA’s 140th anniversary activities, the Bowling Family branch will host a farewell and appreciation event on May 12, giving members and neighbors one last chance to say goodbye while staff work on member and employee transitions and plans to relocate key programs to other locations nearby.
A long-serving neighborhood hub
One of the association’s family branches, the Bowling Family YMCA has long served as a go-to spot for swim lessons, youth sports, day camp and after-school programs for families in Northeast El Paso. The branch is listed among the organization’s core locations on the association’s site, which also outlines how members tap into programs across the city. Details on branch locations and programming are available through YMCA of El Paso.
Why the Y is closing and what it means
The closure follows the expiration of the YMCA’s lease with the City of El Paso, and the organization said renewing that lease was not financially sustainable because of the facility’s condition, location and associated costs, according to KFOX14. “This was not an easy decision,” CEO Gilda Gil said in the YMCA’s statement. The Bowling Family branch, which KFOX14 reports has served the Northeast since 1959, will remain open through May 15. Current members will be offered transfers to other YMCA locations, and those who move their memberships will receive their first month free while the association works to shift summer camps, after-school care and youth sports to alternative Northeast sites and support staff through the transition.
Not an isolated story
The Bowling Family closure is part of a broader pattern of YMCA shutdowns and consolidations across the country as nonprofits wrestle with rising costs and changing funding sources. Recent examples include a Longmont, Colorado branch closure covered by CBS Colorado and the scheduled May 2025 closure of the Alief Family YMCA in Houston reported by ABC13, highlighting the financial pressure many Ys are facing regionally and nationally.
Next steps and where to get information
The Bowling Family YMCA will stay open through May 15 to give members, staff and programs time to adjust and relocate. The association is encouraging members to explore other local branches and to check its website for updates on hours and program moves. For questions about memberships and programs, the YMCA directs people to its main site. Media inquiries can be sent to Michelle Combs at [email protected], the association’s listed media contact, according to KFOX14. More information on branches and updates is available via YMCA of El Paso.
