Burbank YMCA — Local services in Reading

Pro - Nice balance. Nice equipment. Fairly good staff. There are a few qualified good instructors that have good experience.

Cons - The Reading Burbank YMCA is too small. Needs to move. It is going to happen sooner or later. Why wait to later? The gym is small. However, can do a good workout. Staff - some have been there too long. They have their friends and it shows. I do not know them and so I am not one of them. However, there are many new ones. They have past the test and they got the job as opposed to people with much more experience. (As mentioned above, there are some good one with many years of experience and managed to past the test) Classes for yoga and other classes is good but again space is too small. Parking - not enough. Especially during peak hours. Swimming pool. - It is clean. I hope. The boys (and some men) pee in the water. Also, these same people do not take a shower before going into the pool. Other places, taking a shower would be a requirement. Too many of the swimming teachers/instructors are rude. It seems that if they lecture someone about the rules they get points. For example: Setting on the side of the pool and pushing off to get into the water is "technically" the same as diving. Which is a no no. We have to get on our hands and knees and back into the water. Hmm... Day care. It is just that. There is no school. There is no structured learning classes except to learn to cut and glue paper. If you want a school for academic, then this is not the place. However, some of the teachers do try to teach a little. The kids (college kids) and adults are just there to baby sit. If your child did anything wrong then they will make a note and have the parent sign the paper. This will be used against you in the future. :) Not all but some (especially the college students that are there short term) just hang out, text messages, etc. Just there to put there time in to get credit for school and resume. I had 2 children there. They learn to socialize. That is good. However, nothing else. Had 2 different teachers. One was fairly new and did pretty good. Made an effort to teach something as opposed to just cutting, drawing or gluing. The other teacher, who is suppose to be very good, is just going through the motions and during paperwork everyday. She fills out one form; Makes copies; then put a name on each one. She makes sure that she says the correct politics and had the right friends and / or connections. For example: Graduations: The newer teacher had the children come up; stop; look at parents; give the diploma; wave; etc. Results: Happy Parents In Denise's class, well, it was obvious she had her favorites. One student; gave the diploma, nothing; up and gone! Next student: Said their name, greeted, gave diploma, a hug, etc. (this one good - result - parents happy) Next one: Parents not happy. Next one: Happy Next one: Not happy. Parents were both clearly very happy or clearly unhappy. She made a commit about how to learn. The mother responded. Denise made her response. As she walked away... we realized that she had no idea about our child capabilities. It was just her standard response or commit to a/the parents. After one whole year... we were shocked. (Yes, this is only Day Care - but are pretending to be more) New director. It is her first year. Let see what happens next year. Let give her some support and a chance. We all know the first year can be difficult. I think she will do better next year now that she has the first year behind her. Good luck. For the money that parents spend. It should much better. Our score for the Burbank YMCA in Reading would be only average. It could easily be better. The YMCA needs to and can do better. Let us hope that they do. Hope this helps. Again,...

I recently ended my membership at the Burbank Y after 6 months for one primary reason, that is, it is over-crowded in at least 3 aspects. I wish to say my experience, in general, was favorable as it is a clean, well-managed facility. However, I joined primarily for the pool and I found the pool to be too crowded in the hours I had available (mornings), and highly unpredictable as to lane usage. Most mornings I visited, there were at least 1swimmer per lane, often 2, making it hard to swim comfortably (I am an older swimmer who is in the pool about 10-15 minutes). The second area of crowdedness is the men’s locker room which feels busy with only a few people using it. It is cramped and poorly designed in my opinion. Last, the parking is difficult, to say the least. I would often circle the building twice, then end up parking on the street. The workout area on the second floor is ok, but also a bit tight. One small issue was the noise from the classes which often permeated the whole floor. Given these issues, it made no sense for me to pay three times what Planet Fitness charges for equal facilities ( aside from the pool, but see above). Nevertheless, I think the Y remains a viable option for many in Reading,...

My son recently attended your summer camp, and the experience was nothing short of incredible. From the moment he arrived, he was immersed in a world of fun, adventure, and learning. He couldn’t stop talking about the wide range of activities he got to participate in—from exciting outdoor adventures where he could express himself and try new things.

The camp counselors were amazing, providing just the right mix of guidance, enthusiasm, and care. They made sure every camper felt included and encouraged to step out of their comfort zone. My son made wonderful friends and came home with stories of field trips,team challenges, and shared laughter that truly warmed my heart.

What really stood out to me was how the camp fostered personal growth and independence. My son returned more confident, with a newfound sense of responsibility and a deeper appreciation for nature and teamwork. It was clear that the camp not only provided a fantastic experience but also helped him develop important life skills.

We are so grateful for this experience, and my son is already counting down the days until he can go...