Sales

Bloomsburg Area YMCA and Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Announce Property Sale Advancing Two Major Community Projects

Bloomsburg, PA — July 20, 2026 — The Bloomsburg Area YMCA and the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum jointly announce the transition of the Museum’s existing facility to the YMCA, marking an important milestone for two distinct community projects.

Through this transition, the Museum was able to acquire a new facility at the former Vreeland’s Harley Davidson property (317 Montour Boulevard, Bloomsburg), advancing a multi-year strategic expansion into a larger regional educational campus, while the YMCA will repurpose the existing space (2 West 7th Street, Bloomsburg) into a state-of-the-art childcare center designed to meet the growing demand for affordable, available care for working families.

In 2022, the YMCA conducted a comprehensive community needs assessment that identified a lack of accessible childcare as one of the most significant unmet needs in the Bloomsburg area. That finding became a driving force behind the YMCA’s exploration of service expansion and long-term planning.

“We heard clearly from our community that childcare was their top priority,” Wayne Stump, YMCA CEO, said. “By making childcare the first phase of our capital project, we are following through on that feedback and taking meaningful action for families in our region.”

The new Early Learning Center will significantly expand the YMCA’s ability to serve infants, toddlers, preschool-aged children, and working families throughout the region. Once complete, the facility will provide modern, safe, and engaging learning environments while increasing childcare capacity and helping address one of the region’s most pressing workforce and economic development challenges. As the first phase of the YMCA’s broader capital campaign, the project represents a long-term investment in children, families, employers, and the future vitality of the community.

The Children’s Museum’s expansion is the result of a comprehensive planning process conducted over the past five years. Museum leadership completed feasibility studies, economic impact analyses, and its own community needs assessment to determine how the organization could best respond to the educational, workforce, and family needs of the region.

The resulting vision is not simply about gaining additional space or parking. It is about creating hope and opportunity by expanding access to hands-on learning, STEM education, career exploration, cultural experiences, and meaningful community connections.

“The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum has always been dedicated to inspiring creativity, curiosity, and learning,” Taryn Crayton, Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Board President, said. “As our programs and

attendance have continued to grow, we recognized the need for a larger space that would allow us to expand what we can offer to the community. This transition helps position both organizations to better meet the evolving needs of children and families throughout the region.”

The acquisition of the Vreeland property is the first step in a larger, transformational regional project that also includes the acquisition and development of a NASA-sanctioned Challenger Learning Center. Together, these investments will further establish the Children’s Museum as a regional STEM education hub serving families, schools, and communities throughout its 15-county service area.

“Over the past five years, we have carefully studied what our region’s children, families, schools and employers need, and we have built a plan around hope, opportunity and access—not simply around acquiring a larger building,” Dr. Ginny Weibel, Bloomsburg Children’s Museum Executive Director, said.

Weibel continued, “Acquiring the Vreeland property is the first step, and our capital campaign is underway now to transform it into a regional learning destination. Community support will help us renovate the campus; create and expand hands-on exhibits, classrooms, a robust makerspace and outdoor learning spaces; and grow opportunities in early childhood education, the arts, history, humanities, STEM and career-connected learning, including a NASA-sanctioned Challenger Learning Center. The building creates the opportunity, but this campaign will bring the vision to life. Now is the time to help us build a future that reaches more children, removes barriers to learning and strengthens our region for generations.”

The YMCA’s acquisition of the current museum property represents an early and momentous success of the YMCA’s broader capital campaign, which aims to expand facilities, enhance programming, and increase community impact. The YMCA has already completed conceptual designs to create modern, safe, and engaging childcare environments for children of all ages.

“This project is about more than a building—it’s about responding to what our community told us they need most,” YMCA Board President Jonathan Littlewood said. “At the same time, this transition creates an opportunity for the Children’s Museum to continue pursuing a future that supports its own growth and mission. It’s a positive step forward for both organizations and for the families we collectively serve.”

Both organizations are committed to ensuring a thoughtful and positive transition process that honors the Museum’s important contributions to the community while creating new opportunities for families through expanded childcare services.

The YMCA will continue sharing updates regarding renovation progress, campaign milestones, and opportunities for community involvement through social media, press releases, and e-blasts.

The Bloomsburg Children’s Museum will continue sharing updates regarding the new facility, capital campaign, exhibit development, Challenger Learning Center, community partnerships, and opportunities to support the regional expansion through its website, social media, press releases, and e- blasts.

For more information about the YMCA project or to support the YMCA capital campaign, contact Wayne Stump, CEO, at wstump@bloomsburgy.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Bloomsburg Area YMCA

Bloomsburg Children’s Museum

Dr.GinnyWeibel,ExecutiveDirector GinnyW@the-childrens-museum.org 570-389-9206

Wayne Stump, CEO

wstump@bloomsburgy.org 570-784-0188

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