Monroe Family YMCA

Not bad for a YMCA in the city. Super convenient and close to home for me. Plus not too busy. Good for kids and has a big pool.

I really love this YMCA! It reminds me of the one I visited as a kid before it was torn down. This YMCA has a smaller ‘homey’ feel to it as opposed to the larger, newer facilities. They have a swimming pool, weight room, day care, classroom, gym, and track. Everything here is very small and compact. If that’s a concern for you, then you might want to reconsider. The track is located at the ceiling of the gym. Things can get a little congested here, especially during peak hours. Great neighborhood YMCA.

My least favorite of the YMCA gym options — the fitness room is not ventilated enough for me to really enjoy the experience so I’ve often cut my workout short because of it. The staff however are friendly and helpful.

We’ve been using this YMCA for over a year. It’s small, which was initially a deterrent, but now, that’s the best feature. It’s not generally over-​crowded, the staff is over the top friendly, and the variety of classes offered it surprisingly large! I also love that it’s within walking distance (1.2miles) from my house. The child-​watch center is great for kids, even mine who fusses. Love this establishment!

*Disclaimer, I went to this Y looking for a gym membership, for an adult male*
This YMCA is located right where the park ave and the monroe ave neighborhoods meet at the 490. It’s location is absolutely unmatched and is what ultimately attracted me here. It was a quick 2 minute run from where I lived, so I knew that I was paying for this convenience.
The building that houses the Y is mighty small and the work out room is even smaller. However, if you are looking for a just a gym like I did, and you don’t need all of the equipment and machines that say a RAC offers, you won’t mind. They definitely have more than just free weights, but say that 8 people were there, the room would be cramp.
The upstairs has a small cardio room, with 3 treadmills, 3 ellipticals, and about 5 bikes. This Y also has a daycare facility, so you’ll run into youngsters in the early afternoon to early evening hours. It has a small gym on the main floor with a track you can run around above it, but again it’s geared towards the kids, so the basketball hoops are not official height.
The two key aspects that sets this gym apart are located in the basement where there are a pool and sauna!!! You don’t usually get to have these amenities at a city gym or any gym for that fact. The pool has classes, but you are able to use it only when they have a life guard on duty. The real beauty is the sauna though! I’m an absolute believer in them for weight control, as well as a great way to de-​toxic after a heavy evening or weekend in the monroe ave bars! Fifteen minutes in there, and you’ll be sweaty but cleansed.
The membership fees were quite hefty, at $ 43 a month for an adult. Again it was the convenience of not having to drive anywhere, and having the gym located right down the street. Also, during the summer months, this Y cuts back on it’s hours, and on Sundays it was only open for a measly 2 hours! I wasn’t very happy when I found this out. However, the staff at the Y are very cheerful, and always ready for a conversation about anything. I definitely miss it, having moved away from Monroe.