YMCA Lattof Intl

We had a family membership to the Y when I was a kid (Irving Park). I thought I would try the local Y with my kids. Had a membership for a month. Not a good experience. My daughter is a rock climber and I thought having the bouldering area would be good for her and figured we would swim as well as we had time. Well, I spent most of the time that I was a member trying to get info about how I could get my daughter access to the bouldering area. The answer was always the same — you have to talk with Don. Well, I tried to reach Don many times, left VMs and never heard anything back.
When I approached others with my question I generally got an unknowing stare or a reference back to Don.
So, 90 dollars later I never had a chance to use the facility. I think it could be a good place, but, they need to cross train the staff so one person is not fully responsible for anything. It is a massive disservice to their customers.
If the reviews get better I may try again, but, at this point, I don’t see a membership being worth the money.

The mornings at Lattof YMCA makes the place awesome. The people are friendly and kind.
I have to be honest and say don’t let your young children on swim team.
Shaming and verbal abuse is not ok! I soooooo wish I could go back in time and stop that 40 something male coach from yelling at the 5 year old.
There is a new aquatic director at the Y and I am hoping the way coaches treat children will change because of this change in management.

I love it here. I left a nearby Y to join this one after a few visits because the equipment was very clean, well kept, and the environment is so friendly. Staff and members have always been so inviting and helpful; it’s like coming home after a while. Being a triathlete and competitive runner, I am happy with this gym and they are equipt with more than enough for my training.

The depth and range of offerings here are pretty outstanding, especially for a family membership at under 90 dollars monthly. Indoor pools, numerous classrooms, climbing wall, basketball court, indoor soccer field, racquet ball courts, exercise machines, free weights, jaccuzi and saunas and uncrowded (but somewhat dated and dingy locker rooms.
Our son takes discounted swimming lessons that are vastly superior to the ones at Rosemont or the Des Plaines park district. They pay more attention and appear more skilled. Id give this Y 5 stars, except that the locker rooms need remodeling. The Family locker is great and new. But I dont come here to hang in the locker rooms wearing a towel anyway. That is old school. Why sit when you can climb, jump, swim, or run.

Iv been going for the group ex classes here for the last 6 months and it’s been a wonderful exp. staff is friendly, the facilities clean and the classes have helped me tone up. The steam room And sauna areas are well maintained, atleast in the guys section, on the flip side the room are low lit. Spin cycle are old and need replacement and they need to add more groupex classes. They keep having events and giveaways often. Overall a very active place

It older and you can get lost in here but the staff is good. Tom the aquatic director is the best. When you compare it to modern YMCAs like Bueler it’s gonna fall short. But my it’s our local y and my family uses it all the time

Well had a free pass and thought I would check out the sauna, steam room and hot tub. The locker rooms and areas mentioned about were dilapidated and would fit in nicely as set pieces for Hostel or one of the Saw movies. What really shocked me was the racist conversations overheard while trying to peacefully enjoy the sauna and steam room. I did not realize the YMCA welcomed members of the NAZI party to join their family gym. I was thoroughly disgusted by the conversations, this was the third occasion this happened. Kink of shocking and sad. I would rather exercise in the snow than listen to such horrid things.

I’m not a member but am currently enrolled in one of the rock climbing classes in the Adventure Gym.
The wall has multiple faces, which seem to make it challenging for even the experience climbers who attend my class. What makes a difference to me, however, are the people. My instructor Ryan is very helpful, going so far as to loan me his wife’s climbing shoes when he learned I didn’t have my own. He and his son, as well as my other, more experienced classmates, have been very encouraging and helpful in improving my climbing skills.
The only downside I have found is that the wall is located in the room with a children’s maze, and many kids are running around yelling and throwing kick balls, etc. My partners have on occasion had to duck balls while climbing. But the kids always get a swift talking-​to from our instructor.
While I cannot comment on the rest of the Y, if you are looking for a low-​pressure way to learn to climb I would recommend doing so at Lattof!

Unfortunately this YMCA is awful when it comes to customer service. I am a huge fan of supporting the YMCA and using their workout facilities as I am a member and attend the Lakeview and Irving park YMCA frequently. I traveled to the Lattof YMCA to obtain lifeguard certification in the middle of May and have yet to receive my certificates over a month later. Upon trying to sign up for the classes I left several messages with the director and never heard back from him. Upon not receiving my certificates in a timely manner which directly affected both me and my employer, as I am the only lifeguard at a day care facility, I called the Lattof YMCA to fix the problem. Again I was given the run around, called for a whole day, left messages, left my number and name, noted that it was urgent, no one called me back. The next morning I call, leave a message, give my name. Now I live in Chicago and do not have a car so it is not easy for me to physically go there otherwise I would. I finally receive word from the Aquatics director who has the audacity to act frustrated with me. I am sorry but the situation was urgent and after telling SEVERAL people about my problem, I have to wait days for someone to call me back, and when I finally hear from them, they have the mind to sound frustrated with me?!
In an effort to keep this somewhat short and not to go into too much detail about my specific situation, all I have to say is that this facility had no idea what customer service is. When I asked for the last names of the lifeguards who certified me so I could take up my issue with the Red Cross, no one knew until I finally spoke to the aquatics director who was very upset about the fact he had to tell me that information. I do not trust that this facility is concerned with helping their customers. I am a paying member at the YMCA but I will never go to the Lattof YMCA again because they do not know how to treat paying customers with the community respect that the YMCA preaches… What a Shame!

I’ve been a member of this Y for over 20 years and I didn’t think it was possible, but it keeps getting worse! Although there are a few old aerobic teachers who do a great job, the majority are inexperienced and only show up when they feel like it. When I complained to the aerobic directors, she said, «What do you expect? For what we pay our instructors, no one good wants to teach here.»
The facility can get down right filthy – the showers smell by the afternoon.
The pools close 30 minutes before the building closes so the life guards have time to goof off.
The weekends are overcrowded with soccer players who are not members and do not pay dues.
The summers are overcrowded with campers who are not members (for the most part) and do not pay dues.
I could go on and on, but I’ve run out of time.
Jane

It’s an old building, and it gets hot in the summers, and the swimming pool bleached my trunks, but its been my neighborhood Y since birth, so who can blame me?

I didn’t get much use out of this place so far. My 2 yr old didn’t want to stay in the daycare so I only got to use the Walking Track and Kids Maze. They did have three different pools which I wish I could have used. I wasn’t to thrilled with the setup but it’s an old building. Most of the areas have no windows so it’s nothing but floresent lighting, a bit depresing.
I was looking forward to yoga and the ladies only Saunas, Whirlpools & Steam Rooms. I’m sure I’ll update my review later when my son can pry himself from my skirt.

I am giving this facility 3 stars because I have very mixed feelings about it. I go here all the time to workout and also just let my kids play in the maze and gym and it serves it’s purpose, however it is lacking in a few important areas. The workout room is dark (with not one window looking outside) and not very fun to be in. They need new stair machines and don’t have a Gauntlet and their weight machine selection is not much of a selection. They do have a weight room deemed the «dungeon,» but you’ll have to deal with stinky muscle heads giving you dirty looks for being down there. Plus, it’s just kind of gross down there. Also the facility has horrible weekend hours.
Overall, I use the Y often and my family enjoys going there. I just wish the ambiance was a little nicer (like the Buehler YMCA).