LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new building that will house Louisville's Jewish Community Center (JCC) has an official name. The building, currently under construction on Dutchmans Lane, will be called the Trager Family Jewish Community Center. The new building, the fourth to house the JCC, will open in the spring of 2022.
What You Need To Know
- Jewish Community Center's new building will be called the the Trager Family Jewish Community Center
- The building is currently under construction, will open in the spring of 2022
- Trager family has a long history with the JCC
- The JCC's new building will feature an indoor family aquatics center, a fitness center, a cycle studio, more
“We are so pleased to name the JCC building in honor of the Trager family, whose legacy with the YMHA and now the JCC has been long-standing and truly impactful,” said President & CEO of the Jewish Community of Louisville Sara Klein Wagner. “The Trager Family and Trager Family Foundation has committed a total of $3 million toward the capital campaign for the new JCC and we could not be more grateful.”
On Monday, Steve Trager, chairman and CEO of Rapublic Bancorp, Inc., spoke on behalf of the family in a virtual presentation hosted by the JCC and Jewish Federation of Louisville.
“We are humbled and honored to be a part of the new JCC and look forward to celebrating with the entire Louisville community,” said Steve. “The JCC has played such an important role in shaping three generations of our family, and so many other families, and we are thrilled to help further the mission of the JCC for generations to come.”
The Trager family has a long history with the JCC. The late Bernard Trager and his wife, Jean, attended the JCC when it was located downtown and known as the Young Men's Hebrew Association (YMHA). Jean remembers when the current JCC opened on Dutchmans Lane in 1955 and her children playing basketball and baseball at the center.
“The JCC has been central to so many family’s lives over time as well as serving as a center for health and wellness, for community events, for children’s events and for arts events,” said Jean. “We can’t wait for future generations of our family and future generations of so many families to be a part of the new JCC and continue making memories in this wonderful place.”
“We invite all in our community to be a part of the campaign to build our new JCC. From making a contribution to the capital campaign to becoming a member of the JCC, now is the time to join us and be a part of an amazing moment in time for our Jewish Community Center. Everyone is welcome," Wagner said.
Construction on the new center began in the fall of 2020. The 107,000-square-foot facility will include an indoor family aquatics center with a six-lane, 25-meter pool, a "zero-depth entry" recreational swimming pool with splash pad features, a water slide, and a vortex pool. There will also be a fitness center with multi-use gym space and a full indoor basketball court, an indoor half-court, two group exercise rooms, a functional training room, a cycle studio, and an elevated running track larger than the current one.
The Trager Family Jewish Community Center will also feature a Jewish Education Wing that will house the contemporary Early Learning Center, with a "natural play" courtyard and modern amenities for children. A multipurpose auditorium space will be housed in the building for theatre and arts programming in addition to a dedicated space for the JCC's senior programming and JPlay. A full kitchen, co-working spaces, and a cafe will also be part of the new building.