City: Savannah, GA

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (912) 354-5480

Address: 6400 Habersham St.

Description: Besides the programs you’d expect to find at the Y (such as those involving swimming and other types of physical fitness for individuals), the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, through its five branches in Chatham County, offers youngsters opportunities to participate in youth basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer. Participants are registered and teams are formed at the branches, while leagues are set up and scheduled through each branch office. For the most part, games are played at facilities owned or leased by the Y. Programs are open to nonmembers at fees slightly higher than those charged to members, and scholarships are available. Basic fees for individuals participating in all sports vary with each location. To enroll your child in a program, contact the Y branch nearest you. The facilities are the Habersham Branch in Southside/Midtown at 6400 Habersham St. (912-354-6223), the Southside Branch at 11702 Mercy Blvd. (912-961-9622), the Tybee Island Branch at 204 5th St. (912-786-9622), and branches on the eastside islands (912-897-1192) and in West Chatham in Pooler (912-748-9622). The West Chatham Branch is a 32,000-square-foot facility that features an outdoor pool, a day-camp facility, a Sprayground—a fully equipped playground that incorporates the use of water and two large gymnasiums. The Islands Branch on Johnny Mercer Boulevard on Whitemarsh Island is built on 50 acres and has much more room for parking than the old Islands Y, where finding a space was often a problem. This branch also houses racquetball courts and a Sprayground. Both branches also are sites of a St. Joseph’s/Candler Health Systems Children’s Place to Be Fit, where children of elementary-school age are offered activities while their parents work out. All the Y branches provide health-screening services free to members via the Health Connection, which is staffed by St. Joseph’s/Candler personnel.