Torrance-South Bay YMCA — Attraction in Torrance

ATTN PARENTS

My family recently joined the YMCA Torrance/South Bay and I feel obligated to spread my experience with you. I have two children who are exceptionally happy, outgoing and full of constant smiles. When we joined the YMCA and they began to attend the children’s center there I saw an immediate shift in both of their demeanors. They seemed anxious, unusually quiet and would beg to not go back to “kids club” day after day. I took it as they were unhappy going to a new environment and needed some time adjusting. As I took them to the restroom at the YMCA before dropping them off in the child’s center, my husband and I overheard one particular staff member speaking to a little girl in attendance. She was screaming at the children to clean up, and as this little girl dropped her colored pencil on accident, this staff member began yelling at her to pick it up quite aggressively.

My husband and I were horrified at this display of barbaric behavior, obviously canceling our membership right away, and attempted to report the behavior. We asked to speak to a manager, and the person we were directed to told us that the particular staff member has been working with kids all day and was tired as they were short staffed. This is absolutely no excuse. If you work in a children’s facility, you should expect to work with children. Even if you are tired, there is absolutely no reason it should be taken out on this poor little girl.

I tried calling the following week to have a different manager or staff go by the children’s area to make sure the children present were properly being cared for. I got no phone calls or follow ups in return which is even more frightening. As a family run gym, there should have been one staff member that at least could have reached out to look into it.

If you or anyone you know has children at YMCA Torrance in the children’s club, I urge you to make sure your children are safe and being treated with kindness and respect from all...

I'm a little frustrated. I was super excited to join, love the facilities but now have gone 2 times with the women's locker room being closed for 2 hours in the middle of the day for cleaning and once all day for repairs. This means no shower, no stream room or sauna. I called the San Pedro facility and asked if they had a steam room thinking the closure was Torrance specific. Got to San Pedro to see the locker rooms would be closing there as well in less than the time I would finish my workout. Super disappointed. I understand wanting a clean facility and appreciate that, but can it not be done in spot checks throughout the day without closing the entire locker room?! Closing a locker room for 2 hours in the middle of the day for cleaning when the facility is closed every night doesn't make sense to me. The frustration of never knowing what I was going to find at 24 hour fitness, in terms of things being open and available was literally why I decided to go the YMCA in the first place. The YMCA is world's better than the other but this has me really frustrated and discouraged. I can't afford an expensive gym and really...

Not good about summer camp has mixed all students from grade 1-9 all together in math class without prior notification or advise to parents in the program when we registered or prior the class started. The camp does not provide different instructor or class separation although we has registered the program at 7th to 9th grade. My kid has wasted the time sitting in the class listening elementary math. We wasted the money and felt being scammed. I felt being cheated since they can simply refund the money if not enough students to open the class, so we can participate other programs with same grades of students, but instead the institute choose to combine three levels of kids into one class. I believe it has violated customer right without letting participant know first giving other options or choose. Not enough students to open the class is not our problem, they should never consuming our money and not right level of learning to my kid. I am very disappoint and will never put my kids again with YMCA...