RACINE COUNTY - InSinkErator has donated $500,000 toward the future suburban YMCA now under construction, the Racine Family YMCA announced Tuesday. The donation was made through the Emerson Charitable Trust. InSinkErator is a business unit of Emerson Electric, which made the gift at the urging of its Racine corporate leaders and employees.

The $14.1 million, 70,000-square-foot YMCA is being built on land the organization bought for about $880,000, to serve residents of Racine's western suburbs. The site is on the Mount Pleasant civic campus north of Highway 20 and east of 90th Street along Campus Drive.

"As a local employer, we're concerned about quality of life in our community," InSinkErator President Tim Ferry stated in a news release. "We want to create more opportunities for healthy living for our employees and the people in the Racine area."

With this gift, the YMCA has raised more than $9 million for the project which was launched in summer 2010 with a $6 million pledge by Diversey Inc.

The new YMCA will include a gymnasium, lap and family fun pools, exercise studios and a running/walking track. The facility will accommodate up to 2,400 members, with a child care program for up to 88 children. It is expected to open next September.