Suburban North Family YMCA, a longtime presence in Catasauqua, closed permanently the first week in January.

“This decision was not made lightly or without exploring all possible alternatives,” said Amanda Wappes, chief marketing officer of River Crossing YMCA. “However, over recent years, despite significant investments to grow our membership, the operation of the branch has become increasingly unsustainable, running at a cost that puts significant financial stress on the association.”

The branch, located at 880 Walnut St., ended operations Jan. 4. The closure will conclude decades of service to area residents who used the facility for fitness, youth programs and community activities.

“When a YMCA serves a community like Catasauqua for 50 years, many lives and generations are touched,” Wappes said. “We’ve heard from some very nice people who remember attending programs there when they were children.”

Suburban North Family YMCA had a gymnasium, wellness and weight-training areas, group exercise classes, a teen center and other programs including childcare, summer camps and before- and after-school care. Once the facility closed, those services were no longer available at the Catasauqua location.

River Crossing YMCA says it is working to support members during the transition.

“The Y is offering Suburban North members the opportunity to try another branch of River Crossing YMCA free for three months, then resume their paid membership at the branch of their choice beginning April 1, 2026,” Wappes said. “It is our sincere hope that members will utilize the three months of free membership to explore what other Y branches in the area have to offer.”

Nearby branches include Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Nazareth and Pen Argyl, and memberships are valid across all River Crossing YMCA locations.

Concerns have also been raised about the future of childcare services. Wappes said those programs will continue in the community.

“Mostly, we’ve heard concern that we won’t be offering programs to kids, which isn’t the case, as our childcare and before/after-school programs continue at their current locations in the community,” Wappes reported.

Before- and after-school childcare will still be offered at seven elementary schools in the Whitehall-Coplay, Northampton, Catasauqua and Northern Lehigh school districts.

Early childhood education programs have transitioned to the YMCA-LVHN Westgate center on Schoenersville Road, less than 5 miles away. The YMCA will also continue offering health and wellness programs at Fellowship Community for active older adults.

River Crossing YMCA says it remains committed to addressing community needs through food assistance programs, summer outdoor pop-up play programs and other local initiatives like summer camp, which will take place 10 minutes away from the branch in Whitehall.

River Crossing YMCA has not announced future plans for the building or site following the closure.