Capital District YMCA - Southern Saratoga Branch — Attraction in Town of Clifton Park

Love the CDYMCA overall (I think it's one of the better branch systems in the country), but I do have to complain about the Southern Saratoga e-gym renovation because it removed functional and used equipment. I totally understand needing to move in a direction that brings a new generation or simply a wider spectrum of members and totally support that. But... the renovation removed a lot of stuff that was actually used. Such as the TRX rack and reduced the stretching area to a mat in front of the med ball wall, which maybe 2 people can use at once. It also means it's one or the other. Not both because it would be rude to toss a med mall while someone is stretching, and frankly possibly unsafe. It also removed the battle ropes (which weren't collecting dust). Maybe the TRX rack is coming back when the renovation is done, but I doubt it. People were always on that apparatus and it allowed for at least 6-8 pull up stations at varying heights, plus more useful TRX setup. Currently the only 3 places to do pull-ups are to occupy a squat rack, occupy the cable machine, or use the assist/dip machine. If the rowing machines weren't on the track it would be possible to add some pull-up bars/TRX stations and perhaps the battle ropes. So no complaints on the additions, just that they removed a lot of useful apparatus that people were using and didn't really make it so those stations were replicated in a useful way.

Edit to also note. Why remove the reverse hyper that was there for maybe a year? That was a pretty awesome machine that cannot be easily replicated with other tools. For instance the TRX rack also served as an extra bench and squat rack so adding a 3rd squat rack was actually a break even on squat racks. But the reverse hyper? I guess a medicine ball on a bench in a pinch to get a little of...

The women Pat at YMCA was Extremely rude. She was yelling and screaming at me in front of all the other customers in the pool. She said:" Today I am the boss, I control here....."

A gentlemen who was in the pool and watched the whole thing even told me " this is ridiculous and absolutely discriminatory. You should complain to their manager."

I have been taking my 6 year old daughter to the same swimming pool regularly in the past 3 months or so. She can swim on her own and doesn't need to wear her life jacket for a couple of months and never ever had any issues. Nobody ever asked her to wear a life jacket for the past two months.

This morning, while we were in the swimming pool, one of the lifeguards came to ask me to put on a life jacket on her which I explained was unnecessary as my daughter has been shown to be capable and I am with her all the time for safety. The process then followed by other lifeguards involved, one of the lady guards was even staring at me and my daughter for 10 minutes, until she eventually "caught" a concern while my daughter was practicing floating on her own. Then Pat came in and started yelling at me and ask me to leave. She didn't let me talk or explain and threatened to call police.

My daughter was scared into tears and rushed out of the facility.

YMCA southern saratoga: 1) disrespectful words, 2) unprofessional conduct, and 3)...

These are my opinions based on personal experience and observations: Have memberships to YMCA and pf. The southern saratoga y men's locker room has a stench of urine every day. The gym is just as clean as you would expect any other public facility that doesn't have a cleaning crew. If you use the Jacuzzi, you better shower with a good soap, I wonder how often they change the water. Saratoga ymca water is clear, their entire facility is beautiful. southern saratoga is nasty. The joke with some of the patrons is you better rinse off quickly or your skin will fall off. Language: oh boy. I don't want to get started. The first month I was there, they ejected people on the basketball court for foul language. After a year, I see they only enforce the rules with "some people" Parking lot: the fire lane should just be removed, this lane is an accident waiting to happen. Patrons and workers stage their cars here very often. At night kids often run out of the gym, through these cars and if you are driving, I hope you are paying attention. Oh and patrons, one way means one way. What's good: I wish I were a kid and my mom and dad had a family membership. What's bad: price, cleanliness and rule enforcement for all rather than some. What's terrible: I'm going to keep paying for multiple...