Cape Ann YMCA — Attraction in Gloucester

Returned to Cape Ann for another of many road trips there from Baltimore, this time to celebrate the City of Gloucester’s 400th Anniversary. Could not visit Cape Ann YMCA my last 2 annual trips to Gloucester due to pandemic limitations; however, this time (May 2023) I was on a serious mission to use my Y National Membership at this gorgeous Cape Ann Y, only 2 yrs. old. Wow! An amazing $25 million facility on the hill under 2 HUGE wind generators above Gloucester town. Lots of free parking including standard-speed charging stations for EVs. My workout thing is swimming & I must say, I LOVE the lap swimming temp in this pool which is significantly cooler than that @ my home Y in North Baltimore or @ the 5 other YMCA pools I’ve used in MD, CT, & CA. There’s even a separate Steam Room in the spacious Men’s Locker Room! The staff & members here are outstandingly friendly & helpful, staff to other staff as well as members to other members. So many different aqua workout classes; the HydroFit class looked REALLY challenging, but the participants were "killing it"! The Cape Ann Y has a free app available from the App Store to keep members well informed of activities & pool schedules. I swam laps here all 8 mornings of this visit. I’d like to offer my enthusiastic & sincerely thankful high-fives especially to Reception Desk Staff Allan, Lifeguard Jamie, Certified Personal Trainer Christopher (aka, Christopher Robin), & Masters Swim Team Member David, all who individually & collectively made such a great welcome for me all during my week here. They are all exemplary personifications of the focused & nurturing mission of the global YMCA community. Thank you so much,...

My wife and I moved to the area in September and immediately joined the Y. Since then, we have, together, enjoyed more than 100 of the trainer-led classes (yoga, cycle, strength training, pool classes, barre, aerobic, etc.). We bounce around among all the selections because we like the variety and challenge. All the trainers have been excellent and very friendly. And all the classes have been engaging to whatever effort level we can meet. The facilities have also been impressive and clean: from the weight equipment to the bikes to the workout rooms and all sorts of useful equipment (dumbells, mats, barbells, bosu, etc.). We could not be happier with that experience -- and think the price is a bargain! We also liked what we saw of the community efforts -- including the busy holiday giving tree, the kids new year's celebration, and what seemed to be a big effort by the Y to help with childcare or kid programs during the local teachers' strike (good for them, by the way, for fighting for more equitable wages and benefits. One other note that I've been wanting to write to you about: just before the holidays, I lost my wallet somewhere in or between the exercise rooms and the locker room. I got home to a call that my wallet had been found. I picked it up later that day: the $200 in cash still in it. What a great YMCA administration...

I came up to Cape Ann to facilitate a multi-day estate sale. The power was out due to my aunt's death last year. I needed to shower, on Saturday morning they gladly let me shower only for $5 which is more than reasonable. I went back Tuesday and was looked at with condescending eyes by one young woman Jessica while telling me that prices have changed (since Saturday) and that I would have to pay $30 to shower. Allie the manager concurred but allowed me to shower for the previous visits price. I felt I need to say that I'm not homeless. Young Men's Christian Association? I think not. Imagine if I WERE homless and wanted to shower for a job interview. $30? YMCA Mission Statement Excerpt: Core Values: Caring: to demonstrate a sincere concern for others, for their needs and well-being. The Manchester Athletic Club is $25 a day and offered to let me use their facilities for free and there wouldn't be a naked 70 year old man threatening to fight another older gentleman about being able to lay out naked on the changing room bench which I witnessed...