Multiple visits show swimmers using hard plastic paddles in intermediate lanes, risking injury. Lifeguards are dismissive and indignant, and Aquatics Director, Ms. Setayesh Hadavand never replies to complaints. High salaries, no oversight, real danger. Avoid. read more

Bad service, outdated showers and change rooms, old over washed thin towels and the plus membership not worth the money.

Some staff are amazing, others are exactly as described in other reviews. The location and pool are great. However the locker rooms are another story. Children run around unchecked, sketchy people I've seen sleeping on the floor, and other very odd behavior. The plus locker room is strange in totally different ways. Most completely fine, but a few with serious entitlement issues, who have openly called me rude for not carrying on conversation. I come to a gym to change, workout, and change back - not make friends or hang out having conversation. The other downside is groups of children (3 or more) working out together and just completely taking up equipment for a very long time and really accomplishing nothing. There should be separate hours for adults who are here to workout, and children who are here as a low cost childcare solution. Bottom line, if you're mostly looking for a place to swim and live nearby, I'd consider this gym. Otherwise I'd look elsewhere. I've been a member for over 2 years, and still am - just trying to find another gym with an adequate pool and having a hard time doing so. read more

Unsafe to do exercise. Not clean environment the rudest stuff sometimes most of the time they shut down exercise swimming pool. reduced hours. read more

All the staff, from the locker room attendants in the members change rooms, to the great life guards, to the front desk staff, everyone is so kind, helpful, and friendly. I also love that people of all genders, fitness levels, ages, ethnicities, and orientations are members making it feel very welcome for all... which is what I think the YMCA strives to be about. If you want to improve your level of fitness, but are intimidated by your local gym, try the YMCA, they really do want to help you! read more

Generally I love the downtown Y. The diversity of people, all class backgrounds at different fitness levels I feel pretty at home. The weight room can be a bit intimidating with lots of muscle guys at times but as i get more comfortable with using free weights it seems less intimidating and that most people are just busy doing their thing or will offer tips if you are struggling. Don't miss out on the rooftop garden, track and area for stretching. I only just discovered this! The $2 towel is a bit much in my opinion but i just bring my own. the rental locks are very tricky so bring your own sometimes the women's washroom is a bit gross they do clean it very regularly but there is a lot of traffic and its not a new facility. I have only once had a bitchy staff member, she was likely just having an off day like we all can, mostly they are awesome. read more

Central Ymca - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Three stars for being close, good operating hours, and the facility itself is mostly clean. I only use the pool and sauna, so can't rate the rest of facilities. Pool is nice, but I have not used it for a while as I'm grossed out by people not showering properly before entering. It disgusts me to know I'm sticking my face in that. Also, as much as I love and need the sauna for my ongoing physio, I slightly dread going there unless very late at night when it's mostly vacant. There has been quite a few instances over the years, last one was disgusting. A woman brought her toddler in there and tried to change her diaper. Then she proceeded to get upset with me when I told her the sauna rules - no minors. She then stuck her little girl outside while the child pounded on the windows and the idiotic mother changed in the sauna. Can you imagine how disgusting it would be to bake in the contents of her kid's diaper? And the fact she's endangering her baby in that heat? Or how unnerving it is to have to do a staff's job? I go there to heal not enforce rules. I reported it to a staff, she listened, empathized and told me she will bring it up with management. I suggested a sign that is legible for everyone to read in many languages, as we are a multicultural city, plus the current sign is too small for anyone to read and people don't wear reading glasses to the sauna. This is not the first time I asked for this, and it has not appeared. If you're not going to inform people clearly, then at least please staff the women's changeroom appropriately. It doesn't leave me feeling safe and it's not my job to enforce sauna etiquette. read more

It's a dirty place, showers are old and not malfunction. Staff are rude!!! I used to pay $120 a month for Plus membership. read more

Visited this YMCA as my friend is a member, and I checked in to register myself and 2 kids, boy (8) and girl (6) to go swimming. We are from outside the GTA and had an extra bag with us that would not fit in a locker. I asked the female staff, Parand, and she assisted me with placing the bag into an office. She was very nice, polite, helpful and welcoming. There is no entrance into the pool through the Universal change room, and she offered to help my little girl into the pool area after she got changed. Turns out that we did not use the pool as kids changed there minds. Still great to have had Parand help from start to end with our visit. I hope this message gets to Parand and hopefully we will be back for a family swim soon. Mike read more

Normally I use the outdoors as my gym. This winter, Mother Nature decided to cancel my membership. I prefer solitude when I exercise, and the idea of running alone in -30, snowy, icy, dark conditions made me anxious. However, I missed the runner's high, so I decided to join up at the YMCA in order to have access to a heated, well-lit indoor track. Since joining at the beginning of February, my visits have almost exclusively included this track, so keep that in mind when reading the rest of this review. Here's my experience so-far: Pros: - Month-to-month membership. Yes, you have to pay an initiation fee if you haven't been a member within the last 12 months. My first bill was about $160 (initiation fee and first month membership), and each month after that first payment sets me back $65. I only plan on being a member for three months (bring on the sunshine, Mother Nature), which equals out to about $96/month for three months. Pricey? Yes, but I don't have to pay that for a full year (like I would at a majority of gyms after getting locked into a contract), and I USED to pay that exact amount back when I made the mistake of joining Extreme Fitness. - Tons of equipment, all in good working order. When I worked out at the aforementioned brand-new Extreme Fitness at Richmond and John (this was about 7 years ago now), their equipment was constantly out of order. I've seen machines with out-of-order signs at the Y that ACTUALLY GET FIXED. Also, you may find yourself waiting awhile to get on a treadmill or elliptical, but it won't be for long. And there is plenty to do in the meantime. - There are tons of activities to choose from. I choose to run the track, but you can join up at a spinning or yoga class, or play basketball, or swim, or lift weights, or stretch, or play squash. The choices to make your experience whatever you want it to be are basically endless. - Everyone leaves me alone. That's not to say the staff/other members aren't friendly. Security at the desk always greets you when you come in. People have said hello and shared a smile in the changing room. That's perfectly okay by me. What I don't miss is having a personal trainer interrupt my workout and try to sell me on a 40-session personal training package by belittling my progress and making me feel bad about myself (can you tell I'm still bitter, Extreme Fitness?) - It's clean. I mean, I'm not planning to eat dinner off the floors any time soon, but it's never felt dingy or unsanitary. - I've never had problems getting a locker or finding a space to change in the changing room. At my old gym (I may have mentioned its name once or twice now) I would often leave without working out because every locker was occupied leaving me no place to lock up my bag. Cons: - The gym has a very distinct YMCA smell. It smells exactly like every other YMCA I've ever set foot in - a combo of chlorine, body odour, and cheap disinfectant. Other gyms don't smell quite the way the YMCA does. - I wish there was an enforced "athletic wear" dress code. I know that the YMCA will do whatever they can to help lower income members, and I know that not everyone can afford the latest and greatest in athletic wear, but I find there to be something really off-putting about running (yes, running) next to a gentleman in a button-down shirt, wool pants, and black dress shoes. - People like to use the running track for things that aren't running. Taking a phone call in the "running" lane is not cool. I shouldn't have to pass you on the inside lane while you argue with your girlfriend. - I love that they allow all ages and walks of life to join. It makes for a really diverse gym experience. However, I wish that there was some rule about unaccompanied minors in certain parts of the facilities. More than once I have almost been completely taken out by kids who decided to use the running track to race each other. Yes, they ARE running, but they pass at close distances, yell at each other, and generally cause me to lose my focus. All in all, I have enjoyed my YMCA experience. It had been years since I had stepped foot in one, and it was easy to transition back. It was nice to have a safe place to go and workout. I'm leaving my membership behind because the weather is slowly but surely changing. But I'll definitely be back at the end of the year when once the mercury dips and the icy conditions begin to threaten my ankles. read more

16 dollars for swimming if you here before for any reason, activities, you have to pay. I was here for newcomer Youth Advisor， but today is my first day for swimming, they let me pay 16 dollars. Before I don't know reson, i want to know more informations, but the women who has light black skin and short curly hair in the reception, she answer me with racial discrimination tone！！！ So bad experience!!!! And i heard that she told the other woman who work there also, she said"they are sitting here because they dont want to pay for only 16 dollars." read more

Good thing I finally latched on to a healthy addiction: the YMCA. Compared to your neighbourhood gym, Adult General membership is mildly pricey at $62.15/month (on top of a $90-something initiation fee); however, I lovelovelove that they will help out anyone who isn't able to afford it. Accordingly, the clientèle is diverse and the furthest thing from a gaggle of trophy wives and gym rat yuppies. In other words, don't let things like your age, income, level of fitness or the percentage of spandex in your wardrobe deter you from joining. The price is fair considering that this gym has everything: pool, weights, cardio machines, yoga, tons of pick-up sports, in/outdoor running tracks, but most compellingly, scads of drop-in classes suitable for all fitness levels. Every day is like Christmas when I pick a class from the dizzying array of options: spinning, boot camp, pilates, kettle bell, stability ball...the list goes on. Instructors are approachable, inspiring and encouraging. The big downside for me is that there's no way of getting an overnight locker without a Membership Plus. This simple lass isn't shelling out over $100/month for what amounts to a pimped-out change room, when all she wants is to avoid schlepping her workout duds around. That aside, this place is the best. read more

Just a piece of advice never ever book any kind of private swimming lessons. There is no refund policy even if you give reasonable notice, Very bad customer service, read more

I'm in the members plus, so I get a more pampered experience. There's a lounge, newspapers, TV, coffee/tea, a private work out area and stretching area. There is also towel service and overnight locker service as part of your membership. The showers, steam room, and sauna are all well maintained. The whirlpool could really use a few cleanings/year. Staff is generally very enthusiastic and approachable, with a few exceptions on the weekends. Beware Friday nights and weekends - lots of kids here, even in the Members+ area. These young teens, especially, can be very disrespectful (often swearing or bullying others) and like to break facility rules. I like to go at off-peak times. I appreciate that we can use the spin studio now, outside of class times. I swim and lift and feel there is adequate equipment and space to complete my work outs. read more

I had a terrible experience. I went to apply for a membership and the lady on the phone pretended to be nice . She told me something about a 2 week free membership and lied about them having sports equipment and supplies. I explained that I was going from Bathurst and Lawrence and she was all " yes we definitely provide everything. " So I get there and ask for a squash raquet and ball and the desk lady was very rude and disrespectful. She made fun of me and told me off. I had to complain back to head office about her lying to me. The experience was very frustrating and upsetting. read more

This is n enormous ymca, the approach the help desks you can see aqua-fit classes taking place and beyond that the large pool, and beyond that the back wall. this is a nice tease if you're thinking of joining. Work out areas are on three floors. Big gym on the first floor. Guaranteed to get exercise just climbing between these levels and there is ample equipment to alternate between should someone be using the machine you need. Hang out!! read more

I love the Y. This is hands down the best place to exercise. The staff are so friendly and consistently say hello and goodbye every time I go. Weight room staff even offer to help you lift or give you a form check. I love the diversity of people that work out there from the young adults who play basketball and volleyball, to the kids learning karate, to the senior citizens in aqua fit classes. It honestly feels like a home away from home where everyone smiles at you and encourages you. For specifics: the weight room is decent and has two squat racks. Go around 9pm when it's less busy. There is a track on the top floor and there's tons of classes to try like hatha yoga. The change rooms are clean and there are two pools. I'm there 3 to 4 times a week so say hello if you see me! read more

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Came here for the launch of Jane's Walk. Seems like an interesting facility. The conference room where we were was nicely appointed and very spacious. I'd like to go and try the facilites at some point!. read more

This is the worst gym I have ever been too. The equipment is in good condition and the hours ok but the staff seem to think they can treat clients like garbage very rude. Missing a number of key pieces of equipment. Definitely cancelling my membership and heading elsewhere. Been working out for 15 years and this was my worst experience. read more

I am a member of the North York YMCA where I swim with the masters club on Sunday mornings. But this pool hands down is the most beautiful. The architect understood too well the interplay between light and water. What that means is that when you swim, there are skylights in the ceiling and you swim through rays of light in the water.There are floor to ceiling glass walls on both sides of the pool so it's filled with light. In Canada we can't have enough light, it's like dark chocolate. You always crave more. If you're feeling down in February, I know it sounds counter intuitive, but head here for a swim. Float on your back, ease your shoulders down from your chin and look up through the little skylights. I have swum here for a treat on early mornings and even Saturday nights. You emerge refreshed and reborn. I call it my Y guarantee! read more

After being a plus member at this gym for over a year, I was harrassed by a staff member because apparently I was sitting too close to a friend in the hot tub, with our legs touching. I asked the staff member his name and he wouldn't tell me. I came closer to look at his name tag and he physically pushed me. I filed a complaint because I felt that this was totally inappropriate and homophobic but nothing came of it (I got a voicemail a week later from someone and was never able to get ahold of them). Tensions Rose in the changeroom and I heard stories about other members complaining about the 'intimate incident', apparently he said I was sitting in my friend's lap! I wondered whether the staff member was spreading rumours, since practically no one else was there. On my last night this staff told me I couldn't wear my bathing suit on the elliptical in the change room workout area. There was a rule on the wall so I left the elliptical. When I attempted to broach a conversation about what had happened in the past the staff refused to talk to me. When I went to the pool, moments later he was following me with another staff pointing me out. Later in the hot tub this staff asked me to speak to him privately. He reiterated the rule about not wearing the bathing suit as if I needed to hear it again. When I talked to the manager about this she claimed she had been told that I had refused to follow the rule when told. This was a lie. All in all the staff harrassed me by stalking me around the building, shamed me for being close to my friend in the hot tub, pushed me physically, lied, gaslit my claims and I suspect spread rumours. I quit. read more

i have been a member here since 2006. thats what it says on my new card. its new because i havent worked out here since 2006. but its nice that they dont forget about you. you are always part of the family. when you walk in this enormous ymca, you are privy to the back wall of the building dead centre in your line of sight. (thats only if you you are facing north towards the back...). if you look this way, and approach the help desks you can see aqua-fit classes taking place and beyond that the large pool, and beyond that the back wall. this is a nice teaser if you are deciding whether to join. the workout rooms are divided amongst three floors. there is an enormous gym on the first floor. you are guaranteed to get exercise just climbing between these levels and there is ample equipment to alternate between should someone be using the machine you need. a ton of cool classes are offered. there is a membership assistance program that can help you get a membership based on your earnings. they also have spaces for meetings which i believe you can rent out - dont know if there is a charge. for easy workouts where there is no one there come during the working day. read more

I really enjoy this Y. There's a wide variety of fitness classes through the day. There's also lots of equipment and I generally don't have to wait to use anything. I like the main pool where they have lane swimming during the day and sometimes there's an area open for recreational swimming, There's a small pool for aqua fit and swimming lessons for kids. I find the staff friendly and professional. read more

We decided to put my 13 year old daughter into swimming program at the local downtown ymca. What a mistake...they are very difficult to get a hold of unless you are buying a membership or something....everyone is in sales and not in service. MY daughter is in the bronze program and after 3 months still no report card..after 6 months in the same program ..nothing, and finally after several calls to see how she is doing and her progress, I had to call the manager. Poorly organized, no communication unless you buy something, and instructors are just to lazy to call or write something on paper as to your kids progress. I would not join this gym for its aquatics ...there are other good swimming facilities in the area read more

The YMCA has for many years has been my place for physical fitness. As you know or not, they have tonnes of programs everyday so I have to give them a 4/5 for programming. A lot of the programs are good although they tend to have classes repeated a number of times throughout a certain weekday - I suppose so that everyone has a crack at a program in various slits for that day. I don't have a problem with the good programming. Why I gave the YMCA central on Grosvenor St. was because, and this was raised with front desk staff and a number of other staff and patrons of the pools is that the physical upkeep of the pool areas and men's change room are pretty terrible. For example, in the men's change room, approximately 1/2 the showers do not work, or water barely trickles out of them when you need to shower. Also, in the shower and men's change room area, for central YMCA, the lack if cleanliness has become so bad that I've put my membership on hold while I search the area for another gym and what that has a clean pool area. In the shower area, the floors are quite dirty and clumps of hair clog parts of the shower areas. The men's change room floor and the washroom areas are particularly unsanitary and I'm not sure they don't have enough people to keep it very clean (I can't be the only single man who has noticed the filth at the urinals and around the bathroom stalls) because other people by sheer volume alone must have made comments to the pool and men's change room areas being very dirty. The floors around the pool firstly, are quite dirty I feel, the pools not exceptionally clean and (EESH) parts of the pool deck again, with clumps of hair. The water temperatures of the warm pool ( there is only 1 warm pool for potentially hundreds of members who want to use the warm pool for therapy and exercise and is always packed - you now MUST register for so many aqua fit classes which is difficult and the people, very "cliquey" if you're in "their spot" of the warm pool, and they can be quite aggressive about it (not necessarily the ymca's fault of course), the water temperature is OK. Most if the lifeguards there are part-time, a gig for a stepping stone, a simple job to get through university and sometimes their indifference and lack of enthusiasm in the water classes really does show. Some real nice lifeguards who have been there for years but a lot of them, with a high turnover rate, a bit cold, unfriendly and scarily detached when the pool should be watched , instead of the chatter between themselves on the pool's side. Sorry but going back to my -original point - the pool area and change room areas (at least for men, I can't speak for the women's change rooms !) are very dirty, have sloppy upkeep, the floors are to the point where I wouldn't walk barefoot in that entire area because it looks as if they are not scrubbed down daily or even more which, in this environment, I feel they should be for hygiene and safety. The bathrooms are very filthy, ---urine sitting in the urinals because they are broke and do not flush down the previous person before you---- (that is particularly upsetting) - that was the final straw that made me take a hiatus from the central YMCA for a while to find another gym. Interestingly enough, in comparison, I visited the Goodlife Fitness location on Park Rd (as a guest) and it was like another world. They kept their gym amazingly clean, the change rooms are very clean, even with some products for men, no filth, no YMCA smells - and that is bothersome because I hold the YMCA in much higher regards when it comes to maintenance and cleanliness for such a massive community organization. It has gotten only worse the past couple of years, I really personally have noticed. This is my experience and feelings only, but in chatting with other YMCA Central members, they too have complained to management about the uneasy and casual attitude to hygiene and cleanliness. I do not feel , like these other users, we are being taken seriously when you are afraid of walking in bear feet in such a highly public area that must focus more on cleanliness and hygiene - absolute #1 priority. I do not use the gym facilities upstairs much but from what I recall , they are kept in better shape. But the pool areas? The change rooms? Not at all. So I hope the YMCA takes the facilities cleanliness to heart and starts repairs and upkeep very quickly. Great location, great programs and resources but that doesn't trump a hygienic environment. read more

Great facility. Great classes. Friendly staffs. And best of all, NO CONTRACT required!!

I was a member several years ago, and recently decided to return and inquire about joining again. My interaction with the front desk reminded me of the main reason I left: the staff just don't seem to care or have any motivation. This is normally not an issue, since you usually have little interaction with them once you join. But I see from the reviews here that the areas where this is an issue (e.g. hygiene and maintenance) are still major problems. There is really no indication that efforts are being made to deal with these problems. I love the philosophy behind the YMCA, which is why I did not even consider a private gym when I first joined. Unfortunately, organizations that begin with good philosophies often degenerate over time. This YMCA seems to still have some good things to offer, but the place is just too depressing overall. A couple of people mention the "YMCA smell"; that is a real thing, but it is also a good metaphor for the atmosphere in general. For that reason, I am making plans to inquire at some of the local gyms. read more

I've been a member at the Central YMCA Toronto for a year now. I looked at a number of gyms in the area, including extremely slick ones with great equipment, but everything else paled in comparison. First and foremost, the staff and volunteers are simply excellent! They are prompt and efficient. Most of all, they treat members with courtesy and decency, which is such a refreshing change from most businesses who treat customers more or less like sources of money and not much more. Second, I like supporting non-profit community-oriented organizations like the YMCA. They have a fantastic range of community support programs, including for kids, senior citizens and recent immigrants. Over and above being a non-profit, the Central YMCA is a well-run organization. Third, I have been there on different days and times, and there is always enough equipment for me to work out. The machines are in good shape and there is enough space to stretch and exercise most of the time. The locker room is decent. There is a better locker room for those who want to pay a premium. Fourth, it is quite affordable. The rates they charge are reasonable, especially given their facilities. For new members, there is not only an orientation of the entire place but initial workouts with a trainer that are free. Overall, the Central YMCA is highly recommended! read more

The staff here is helpful. People here will give you good tips regarding workout routines and exercise habits. I have been a member for four years. It is the best place to workout and has the most equipment out of any gym that I've been to. BTW, there are two pools as well as two running tracks (one indoor and the other outdoor). read more

I've been a member of the Downtown Y for about a year and a half. It is a fantastic location with a good range of equipment and friendly people. Highly recommended read more

So disappointing. My hubby and I had been wanting to join this Y for over a year, as 3 of our good friends have memberships. Finally being in a position to be able to afford the Family Plus membership, we went in on the evening of February 18, 2016 to sign up. Waiting in line for 20-30 minutes we were told they could not sign us up as their computers and phones were down. He suggested we come back tomorrow. We stated that we had wanted to join today and go to an aquafit class with our friends at 6:45 who were existing members. He said he could give us a day pass then and we could sign up tomorrow. We asked for a tour and were excited. He told us to go downstairs to the desk, exchange our driver's licences for a day pass, sign up on the sheet for the Aquafit class and someone would be down to give us a tour. I get to the desk downstairs and am told by the grumpy attendant that "she doesn't put the sign in sheet out for another 6 minutes so stand there". Um okay. So we stand and wait. She then takes our driver's licences and gives us day passes. We're standing there... like bumps on a log.... finally a woman comes to give me what I think is "a tour" but just means she shows me into the change room. C'est tout. No showing me the jacuzzi, steam room, showers, where the pool is, how to get to the pool, where the workout equipment is on the other floors, nada. She was too busy chatting with her BFF/co-worker. I go back out to join my hubby and his "tour" was of the change room as well. We're standing there... and waiting... and there are 4 attendants all chatting with each other ignoring us... we're confused, have questions... anyway we decide to leave. No joining or using the facilities today. Customer service is appalling. Here were two people willing to give them $200 a month for a family plus membership, no questions asked, no sales pitch required. I went back in and asked for an appointment for another day and, to add insult to injury, was told "we can give you a tour right now". Ummm... yeah.. right. We are soooo bummed. I do not recommend this YMCA at all. Another insult is that I had called earlier in the week to try and get an appointment for a tour and sign up, and was bumped to the call centre and told "appointments are not required - just walk in". My analysis is that the staff here appear either to be employed at the Y as a stepping stone to another job, do not have customer service skills, and do not even care about customer service in the slightest. Hubby and I are now looking for a gym with a pool and classes in Toronto that won't break the bank. Wish us luck! read more

The first time I thought it was pretty good, I went at peak time between 5-7. The only problem I found was you could not get near the free weights, it was all young males who were hogging the benches and using them right in front of the mirrors and posing. There are not many women in the weight rooms, sometimes the rooms are completely full of young males with not one woman. I find that some of the equipment is not as clean as I originally thought, with hair and god knows what else in the crevices. The showers are not that clean either, the walls look like they need to be spray washed with disinfectant. Their ellipticals are the kind that your foot is flexed in a toe up position and puts a lot of strain of your achilles tendons, all but three of their machines are the same kind. I wish gyms would have more of a variety. They do have other very good weight machines, and have two or three of the same thing, but when it's crowded you have to keep walking all over the place and up multiple staircases to find what you need. They do have a nice "quiet room" with a wall to wall thick mat and a beautiful top floor track that is outside with nice gardens. The deal breaker for me is that there are a lot of 8-10 year olds and teenagers running around from the basketball courts and hanging around on the stairs and making noise and coming into the weight rooms. The deafening, continual squeaking from running shoes from the basketball games really gets to you after a while and makes it hard to concentrate on your workout. It seems the entire facility is geared towards these sort of low rent Toronto Housing types of young males, so the atmosphere is not enjoyable. I was in the change room and someone lost the keys to their locker and just started swearing and shouting at the attendant to open the locker door. This is the kind of people who use the place. Beware! every Saturday night between 7-11, it's free for teenagers at both locations. And in the winter they tell me that there can be over 200 teens in these places. The atmosphere is not pleasant and neither is the noise or the smell. I worked out there for a few months, and then left, I noticed that my lock was completely bent, but not broken. You know what that means....I was lucky. So there are people watching you and when you leave to work out, they are armed with tools to get your stuff. How do you bend an entire lock? read more

It's a good, clean facility with well-trained staff. I like the atmosphere but it can be busy at times. It's great that they have a wide-variety of equipment and classes 'cause it helps avoid getting in a fitness rut. read more

If I had my way, I would give this place zero stars. The section exactly: the Language Assessment Centre. They have no regard for people's time. This YMCA has wasted 10 hours of my life and $20 of my hard earned money with transportation costs. They cannot give the requirements of a french assessment properly. Communication is key and the lack thereof has led to me wasting three trips -two of which were scheduled on weekends where the TTC was not working on the Bloor Line. They expect the public to read between the lines with what they say. What bugs me with places like this is their customer service structure. Rules are rules : YES but when you have wasted 10 hours of my life and expect me to return to your office for a fourth - that is just ridiculous. The supervisor was so relentless to be flexible given my circumstance. It goes without saying that, even if a service is offered for free, that does not give you the right to push me around. I immensely dislike your organization and will only have bad things to say about it going forward in the future. Word of Mouth is one of the most important marketing methods. read more

I would give them 5 stars if it wasn't for initial communication issues - it took me 2 month to get hold of them: my 3 emails and 2 phone calls were never returned. Yet, finally we were able to sign up Mark into a Learn to Swim Program and we are really happy with the results, Mark learned to swim and cannot wait to show off when we go to parents' cottage next week. We were amazed with his progress because my husband Paul was trying to teach him since he was 5, but it was always a disaster - Mark would end-up in tears and Paul swearing to never try teaching him anything again. Anyway, I can highly recommend these guys but you should just go to the pool when they have lessons instead of wasting time on calls and emails. read more

Staff are hard to find and when you do find them, they are too busy chatting with each other to help. Some equipment is new and some dates back to last century- and believe me, you need to be wearing headphones when you work out, because the squeaking equipment is painful!!! read more

I love it here. I go here all the time when I visit Toronto. Its the perfect location for me and the whole place is brand new. The layout is great and I can get in, do my workouts, shower, change and get out without being bothered. I love that!!! read more

Clean, great staff, excellent programmes & facilities, well organized and with a culture of respect.

Have been an adult+ member for about a month now with nothing but great experiences! Lunch hour has been great for workouts (we go between 1-2pm and it's never super busy on the 2nd / 3rd floors which is perfect!) or a nice dip in the whirlpool / steam room (adult+). Great space! read more

This is my home away from home in Toronto - just forward my mail here! I am a fitness FREAK when it comes to the gym I choose as 'my home turf' and from the moment i walked into the Central Y, I knew this was my kind of place. Equipment is always clean, rarely do I see out of order signs, and there are so many different rooms of equipment that it's easy to shake up your fitness routine if you hit a rut, which is common after six months or so. I've worked at and visited many YMCA/YWCA gyms, and this one runs like a well-oiled machine - there are no squeaky wheels. From entering the building, I find the reception staff friendly and welcoming, the locker rooms are clean and secure, members are great and respect the 'gym code of conduct' rather than racing for the machine you're both headed for next. I was a serious swimmer for years, but I have not visited the Central Y's aquatic centre. However, I did find a hidden gem: the rooftop running track. It's SO awesome up there - it's like a rooftop garden with a running/walking track with a nice view of the downtown. In the morning there are hardly any people up there so you can create your own workout uninterrupted. Best part of the Central Y is the staff - no attitude, and they will stop to answer your questions without trying to up-sell you on personal training sessions, which has become common at for-profit gyms these days. read more