Hollywood YMCA — Local services in Los Angeles

The Hollywood Y has been a sort of home for long time members in many ways. We exercise, take classes, interact with our kids, get breaks from them via the excellent child care service and schmooze with business colleagues and friends. In other words, it has fostered a wonderful community.

We felt taken care of by a staff that did a good job of keeping the old structure and the equipment in pretty good repair. Periodically up to date exercise equipment would replace the worn out or out of date. We knew we weren't getting the high priced spread of the more expensive gyms and clubs but so what, we had each other.

So we ignored ignored the lockers that were missing clothes hooks, the occasional machine that was out of service for a while, the cramped family locker room, or moments when towels were not yet available. Accepting the conditions was eased by a system that invited member input and responses were quick. Member suggestions were posted on the bulletin board and staff solutions were added as the matter was resolved.

However, during the past year or so, many members began to feel their needs have either been forgotten, neglected or discounted. First came termination of the open suggestion system. This form of healthy communication between members and staff was abruptly shut down without explanation. Our attention to the decline riveted with termination of towel service, the one amenity that gave us some sense of being treated beyond the bare minimum necessary to keep a gym running. Water conservation and the related cost of the service were offered as reasons but given the lack of transparency in the process and absence of creativity in searching for solutions - for example, polling membership to see if a modest monthly fee increase for everyone, or for those who wanted towel service, might preserve the benefit - ill will resulted. Petitions were filed and at least one member set meetings with higher-ups, only to be politely dismissed.

Further decline followed: automatic faucets were installed in the sinks. Great! What's bad about that! Except that the water temperature was adjusted so that tepid didn't begin to describe the water available for shaving or washing. Chilly is more like it.

I meet with a gracious Membership Director about all of this after a sewer backup in one of the sinks wasn't attended to. I told her that I and others "feel forgotten." . She explained that management changes are in the works, that she'll take care of the sewage and water temperature issues and forward the concerns I've described here. Next thing I know a sign is posted on the locker room door: "Jacuzzi closed until further notice." And so it goes. That's where things...

I have been going to this location for many, many years. My daughter is now seven, and I was a member before her birth. The kids center staff know her name. We have dropped her there for Parents Night Out. I feel this YMCA is a community, and, in my opinion, this particular Y is popular with families who have teens and younger children. No, it is not a luxury spa or gym. We should all remember it is a nonprofit organization with both volunteers and staff. The Y’s main goal is to promote health and wellness/wholeness and Community and ideally to reach out to communities in need and families of all income levels. This Y is where people talk and know one another, and parents laugh and chat while there kids swim or watch their kids take Taekwondo , or where a group of buddies hang out in the parking lot and chat after playing basketball, and, in the court yard, where members, parents, children are snacking, relaxing, playing and where the front staff is patient and smiles whilst dealing with parents, the elderly, teens and other members who have often the same issues but with very different personalities.

All or most of the instructors I have had have been kind and/or attentive; I take cycling and yoga and some of those instructors even have a bit of a following.

Now, do I wish the swim lessons, were a bit more organized, yes, esp. with respect to the different teachers my daughter has had recently. Yet, we could work on consistency in bringing her. I also wish the locker rooms were a bit newer, but for the most part they are maintained. It would be great if this Y had more cycling classes, but I mainly attend more regularly in summer months. Yes, this Y contends with and assist the neighboring homeless community. For the most part, I feel at home at this Y, and my...

I’ve been a fan of this place since 2014, and when Covid hit they closed it and remodeled/reorganized it. Everything they did is garbage, and if anyone is donating to them anymore, those donations appear to be wasted.

It’s in a beautiful historic building from the 1900s, and they’re using the best and biggest workout room with historic ceilings as a gosh darn storage room. Storage room!!!!! For dusty chairs and junk!

How is that helping or serving the community? The person running this place is a scammer!

I was always proud to support the YMCA and particularly this location, but please YMCA management, look into the person in charge of this location and fire them! It makes me disappointed and honestly angry to see what this location has become.

Oh, and the kids center? Just a packed up room that’s only open on Saturday mornings? Come on. A big fancy room for kids and parents with no kids in it???? With no programs going on????

What a scam!!!!! Fire Merton...