The Y is more than a gym. We’re the leading nonprofit committed to strengthening our North St. Louis community.

The Bayer YMCA offers everything from fantastic fitness centers, features and equipment to quality community development programs, family engagement and childcare in St. Louis, MO.

 

JOIN TODAY

 

Kemet Hetep
Executive Director

Sharon R. Holbrooks
Branch Business Manager

Karen Hedhli
Membership Director

Kennedy Largent
Aquatics Director

Keedra Davis
Program Director Various

Paris Thompson
Teen Program Director

Lyddia Schaefer-Skaggs
District Branch Business Manager

Matt Thompson
District Vice President

Located in North St. Louis City, the Bayer YMCA offers everything from a fantastic fitness center, swimming pool, steam room to quality community development programs, family engagement, and childcare in St. Louis, MO. Gym membership includes access to amenities like our fitness center, basketball court, aquatics (including a hot tub, indoor pool and sauna), indoor track and much more.

In October 1877, a YMCA for African American men was organized under the leadership of P.H. Murray. Ten years later a second attempt to start a YMCA movement for African Americans started in St. Louis by Principal John Boyer, Vashon, and associates. Five years later, Thomas Alexander Marshall led the third attempt to revitalized this movement.

After many attempts, in 1912 the Afro-American Young Men's Christian Home Association was readmitted to the association. In 1917, the land was purchased at the corner of Pine and Union for the Pine Street YMCA. The Land Clearance Authority purchased and demolished the Pine Street Y in 1960 as part of a rehabilitation project. 

Seeking a new location, 6.5 acres of Principia School, 5555 Page Avenue, was purchased and a new branch was built, the Page Park Y. 

In 1964, the Junior Kindergarten program was started in the Old Carriage House on the Principia site. The Junior Kindergarten was founded by the Junior League of St. Louis as a part of the White House's program on early education and became a model for the national "Head Start" program. 

The Page Park and North Side YMCA branches were merged in 1975 to form the City North Branch under the direction of William James Taylor.

In 1981, the City North Branch was remodeled and reopened as the Monsanto Family YMCA.

A groundbreaking was held on December 16, 2019, to announce a large-scale remodel and renaming of the Monsanto Family YMCA to the Bayer YMCA.  

Amenities

Want to see more of our facility? Claim a guest pass and visit us today!

Indoor Pool
Indoor Track
Steam Room
Sauna
Teen Center
Child Watch
Early Childhood Education
Community Garden
Free Weights
Gymnasium
Strength Equipment
Cardio Equipment
Outdoor Pavilion
Outdoor Track
Community Kitchen
Hot Tub

Support the Y

Our Annual Campaign provides financial assistance and subsidies to ensure all who wish to participate can, regardless of their financial situation. Growing our Annual Campaign will ensure that we scale and expand our programs into our most vulnerable communities. To ensure we are deepening our impact, we will innovate our programming to meet community needs.