Irving Park YMCA

I had a few choices in the hood for a new work out place and I chose this one. I like the equipment and various rooms, including the indoor pool. The fact that there is a «Bear Den» in the basement really adds charm to the place.
They have various classes and friendly people working at the front desk. Also, this place is kept pretty, which I appreciate.

I moved to the area so I was looking for a gym to work out in. Wanting to stay away from the Planet Fitness/​X sport scene I checked out the Y.
The Y has an interesting layout. The main floor has rooms for the cardio and weight machines. Around the hall you will find the basketball courts as well as smaller rooms for classes. Downstairs is the locker rooms, free weight area, pool, and racquetball court.
The equipment is pretty much new and in great condition. I work out in the free weight area primarily (aka the Bear’s Den) and the equipment is adequate. There are a few power racks, a number of benches, a power lifting platform, bumper plates, etc. There’s also a heavy bag and speed bag.
The biggest drawback is the locker room. It has a musky scent to it. The lockers are probably from the 70s. The floor doesn’t seem to be clean at any given point. Gang style open showers that seem original and you have to tweak just right to get hot water. Definitely don’t walk around barefoot around here.
The price is a bit much ($ 50 for a person over 30) but I get a discount at the Y from work which helps me justify the cost.
Pros:
Location
Lots of equipment, not a lot of users even during rush periods
Staff is friendly
free classes
free babysitting while you workout
Cons
Locker rooms
Price compared to competitors
not ADA compliant? (some parts are at least)

I have worked out at many gyms but never felt so comfortable. The staff is so nice and helpful, I still get surprise by their polite greetings and good byes.
The facility is clean and well kept. There is no loose equipment laying around, no broken machines.
I was welcomed by Cathy and she gave me an assessment when I first joined. Every time I see Cathy she follows up with my progress, updates me on new upcoming classes and recommends new things to try.
Amazing place!

I took a swim class here and the instructor was great. However, the staff is so unorganized and rude. I will not be joining as a member. I will go somewhere else.

Just finished our sons summer camp yesterday. The counselors… pardon me, ROLE MODELS, did an amazing job. Alli, and Mike are the 2 in charge and are amazing. The run a tight ship there too. I would absolutely suggest this YMCA to friends.

Overall great facility, would have given it a 5, but can’t overlook how dirty and unsanitary the men’s locker room is, I come out of there itching

Tuesday and Thursday adult water class (arthritis) done away with and they just lost another good water instructor. Don’t think this Y is being managed as well as it was in the past. Front desk people have no info or give you the wrong info and website schedules/​info are not kept up. Sorry to see this happen.

It took a lot of patience to enroll my step-​son in the swim team there… why? No one had a clue what they were doing! seriously. And after paying $ 150 for a month (1 season) I asked if my step son could practice using the pool. No! They said he had to be a member! wha??? So I spoke with someone else… they said, ok. But for $ 5 each use. I agreed. I’ve gone in a few times and seeing how unorganized and busy the desk personnel were, I waked right in and he practiced. No one askd anything. I also saw others do the same. Once I was asked if we were members and I explained the situation… a different desk person said, «we don’t do $ 5 per visits, but I’ll let you in this time, but it’s the last time.» huh??? The pool is quite small old and the place is, in my opinion, a bit creepy and yes, smelly. ie; stale cigarette smell and other funk… No one really seems to know what they’re doing over there. Extremely bad managed! After June. we’re done!!! Off to Chicago Park District swim teams. They’re cheaper and seemingly, better organized.

The Irving Park Y is a total throwback to the Y’s roots when it’s main purpose was to house single, young men of faith for a reasonable price. It still has these efficiency apartments to rent at reasonable (not just Chicago reasonable) prices. Although from what I’ve seen you could delete the «Y» part because most of the gents I’ve seen there look to be old enough to be the original denizens of the rooms when this Y opened in 1925! ;0)
My only experience with this place is the weight room and exercise room so I’ll stick to those… The Bear’s Den downstairs is the free weight area. It got its name from when The Chicago Bears of the late 60’s through ’71 used it for their physical training. It’s awesomely retro in feel! In the basement, honey colored, slotted pine walls and Bears memorabilia all over. There’s even a heavy bag and speed bag as you enter with reproduced posters of major boxing matches like Ali vs. Frazier. And it’s always hot. Ha.
But that’s where retro ends. All the equipment is new or like new and besides a dedicated Decline Bench it is missing nothing. It even has a heavy lifting platform with the rubber weights. That’s rare. And although this may sound like a meatheads dream, I’ve yet to run into one at this gym so I’m sure my wife would feel comfortable working out there. Mostly its just older men working their jaws more than their muscles. I enjoy listening to them bust each other’s chops in an authentic Chicago accent. Did I mention XRT is always on the radio? Nice!
The men’s locker room needs a serious facelift and the plumbing needs some help but there is a wet and dry sauna if that’s your thing. All in all a good place to workout and as an «away» Y member I get 12 free visits per year.
Enjoy!

Awesome SUMMER CAMP for kids. If you are looking for a summer camp, this is the place. The program is well organized by friendly staff who are awesome. My five-​year old was in the Explorers Camp and loved swimming twice a week and weekly field trips. The hours are perfect for working parents — 7 AM to 6 PM. My son made friends, learned new things, and was busy with fun activities all summer. The staff truly care about the campers and go the extra mile to make sure they are safe and have fun every day. This is the best value and experience in the city for summer camp. Highly recommend.

This place might be bed bug infested. Enter at your own ri. Stinks like dirty man in here. A coule of stabbings within the past couple of months. Mainly this behavior is perpetrated by the alcoholics that live here.

Brand new equipment in ’12 so this place is far better than Bally’s/LA Fitness.

Seriously?! Customer service does not exist. When I asked a question I was told to read the sign posted on the door! So disappointed

My favorite gym out of x sport, Charter and W3.
why?
I find the cardio machines that have tv’s on the machine that i can control and tune out grunting meat heads lifting weights to be motivating.
Steam room
Pool
No other of the gym I been to have that.
I was recently told I cant pay monthly in cash anymore though. That I have to pay for three months at a time? I can barely afford to pay one month at a time. I think she said I can still pay monthly if I do auto pay with my bank account?
There has been a machine out of order since I started in july or june. Of course its the only machine of its kind.
I wish they had more row machines. That’s another thing you cant find elsewhere. I also wish the people who worked there could tell me how to use it. The person I asked didn’t know.
The b o smell at the start of the stairway going upstairs to residents only area is one you cant find anywhere else either. Its not the gym b o smell its a «i never shower» b o smell. Ya know, the kind that comes from someone who doesn’t even work out. Just doesn’t bathe.
The parking lot rarely accepts my card to let me in.
I wish the lockers were bigger but that seems to be a problem everywhere.
Its not stuffy or stinky in there. Its clean enough.
I wish they had a better variety of channels but at least i get to channel surf.
I wish they had a little more weight machines Charter had more. Some more ab machines would be nice for the ladies.
They gave me a scholarship based on my wages so that’s wonderful!
I kinda wish they were open later but they are open later than w3.
oh and Racquetball court!
Another rarity.
I like that they send me a bill every month.
I also like their f b. A way to interact and they were responsive on there.
I really like the two locker rooms. One for adults and one for families. As I dislike the company of children!

I was a member of this YMCA for about 6 years and just canceled my membership. In that time, the membership fee kept creeping up until it reached $ 50/​month, but the Y did eventually get some new equipment and did a little remodel to their cardio room. The long and short of it: it’s just a place to work out. The cardio machines often don’t work correctly (especially things like heart rate monitors and headphone jacks) and the people there are an odd mix of neighborhood normals and rent-​a-​room weirdos.
I decided to cancel my membership when I found a new gym to use that’s much cheaper. But right now I am completely frustrated with this YMCA and here’s why I’m only giving them 1 star:
1. I called them to cancel my membership and was told I needed to send an email, which I did. Several days later the email bounced back.
2. I called again and was given a different email address. Same thing: it bounced back a few days later as undelivered.
3. I called a 3^rd time and received yet another email address. In all 3 emails and all 3 phone calls, I explained that I wanted my membership to be canceled by the end of the month and did not wish to be charged for the following month. Lo and behold, after 3 calls and 3 emails, those motherfuckers still couldn’t get their shit together in time and I was debited the $ 50 monthly membership fee for the following month.
4. It has now been another month since all that, and I am STILL waiting to be refunded my $ 50. I have sent repeated emails and have always received a mildly friendly response, but I do not think that anyone there is really trying very hard to fix their mistakes. They have claimed twice now that they mailed me a refund check. I have yet to receive anything from them. They’re either lying or completely incompetent.
So… watch out. These people are really shitty at customer service. Most everyone I’ve dealt with has been friendly in person and on the phone and they compose cordial emails, but they either don’t give a shit or are completely clueless. How hard is it to cancel someones membership??? And why is it so fucking difficult to issue a refund check or just credit my account when they screwed up?
Steer clear. Use the new XSport Fitness further west on Irving.

I cannot say enough about the Youth Swim Programs at IPY. My son has Autism and has flourished under private lessons with Gwen. She is always patient with his sometimes challenging behavior and heaps praise on his successes.
The confidence my daughter has gained from the Swim Team in less than a year is not even close to what she received in 3 years on gymnastics. The coaches go above and beyond and keep the parents informed.
The cost of all of this is beyond reasonable. ($ 25 for a private swim lesson is the cheapest therapy my son gets and may be the most beneficial.)
We are overjoyed to be a part of the Y family!

I’ve spent quite a lot of time here, and what you get out of the IPY is going to depend a lot on your individual goals. I’ve been into barbell strength training for quite some time now, and for the price, I am very pleased with what I get in the Bear’s Den weight room. They have a deadlift platform with bumper plates, heavy bag, squat rack, power cage and assortment of cable machines and benches, meaning most strength or hypertrophy programs won’t include exercises you can’t do here.
The rest of the facility has the requisite weight machines, rows of elliptical trainers and treadmills, a very nice stretching cage I’ve never seen the like of anywhere else, and a pool and two gymnasiums. For someone who wants to get started in a fitness program or take a class, they have what you’ll need.
I especially recommend this location to anyone who is training for strength or powerlifting, as any places you can find better equipment for that goal will be quite a bit more expensive, and I wouldn’t be willing to pay the difference unless I felt I was REALLY ready to take advantage of the more experienced coaching at a dedicated powerlifting gym.
Hope to see you there… just don’t do curls in the squat rack. ;-D

I’ve been going to this Y for a couple years and it’s made some great improvements as of late — a huge remodel on the first floor. They have everything you need for a good workout. Plenty of treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, and a full set of weight machines. The Chicago Bears used to train here in the basement. There is Bears paraphernalia galore all throughout the «Bear’s Den» weight room. The Y has a large basketball court with a narrow track on the second floor surrounding the court. There is a smaller court, a pool, a large room for group fitness classes like Step, Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, etc. They have a pretty big kids daycare area. All the staff here is super friendly. I only pay about $ 35 per month, which is a great value. You can use your Y membership card at other YMCAs and to get discounts at places like the Golden Nugget Pancake House.

The reviews on Unilocal can be terribly subjective. I almost didn’t join this Y after reading them. However, I needed to take swimmming lessons and this was the closest pool and cheapest lessons.
You get what you pay for. Is it swanky and shiny? No. Does it get the job done? Yes. At first the weight room freaked me out, knotty pine paneling and older machinery. However, it gets the jobs done. I figured out that old weights weigh the same as new weights. By the way, this may seem inconsequential but the water pressure in the showers is awesome.
Bottom line, give it a try.

I love the Y! It’s a bargain for the price, and you get access to tons of free classes, a weight room, a pool, and more. I just renewed my membership, and the ladies at the front desk were super helpful, in spite of clearly having a lot on their plate.
I’m looking forward to more working out! Yay, Y!