McGaw YMCA in Evanston

I always have a great experience at the YMCA. This is by far the best YMCA because of the beautiful architecture of the building. I work out at leaste 3 x a week here and it’s always a very good experience. The equipment are always clean, spacious, and modern. Parking is usually available in the back.
The staff are always friendly and accommodating to any of your questions that might arise. My daughter loves the childcare/​childcare when I work out. The only drawback is the childcare is only opened on weekdays and not on weekends.

I took my toddler here for swim lessons for two years. The swim instruction was uneven, but better than the Chicago Park District, which isn’t saying a lot. The reason I won’t go back is they don’t have enough room in their family locker room to accommodate all the families needing to change on Saturday morning. The last time we went, my daughter was shivering while we waited 20 – 30 minutes for a changing room. I gave up and went upstairs to the women’s locker room and started putting her clothes on there. Almost immediately, someone complained to the front desk, and a rude staff member burst into the locker room screaming «who got a baby in here, who got a baby in here?», like I was a criminal or something. She found me and my offending toddler, and escorted me and my half-​dressed child out of the locker room.
I was embarrassed in front of my child and a locker room full of people. I requested a refund for the balance of swim classes remaining in our term. The Acquatics Director, Meaghan Hilton, tells me this is against their policy. I’m waiting on a call back from the Membership Director, Maggie Allexshat, but I get the sense I’ll be waiting forever. Meaghan and Maggie: its against my policy to go back to a place that would treat me like this. Thanks for nothing.

The building is a bit of a maze at first and a little intimidating. However, as a family in Evanston, there was much to be enjoyed! We love the fact that there is free 2 hours of childcare built into your family membership. Not a family member, childcare is still super affordable at $ 6/​hour. our kids got discounts for swimming and basketball classes. They loved both the swim and basketball classes! I’ve tried out a variety of classes, including spinning, Pilates, and aerobics. The classes are okay — definitely a bit on the crowded side and it’s harder to get one on one attention. Overall, the McGaw YMCA is really a great program that I highly recommend to young families. My only complaint is parking — not only is it difficult to find parking in the lot, the spaces are so tight! And on Sunday mornings when many church goers are also parking in the street, parking is even more limited!

Okay, so the building is a little confusing to navigate at first, but that’s pretty much the only negative thing I can say about this Y.
Staff was helpful from the get-​go (especially Meghan, the aquatics director, who had a bunch of tips on the best aquatics, and non-​aquatics, group exercise classes for me — thanks Meghan!). And where other gyms I considered in the area had higher pressure sales tactics (like deals that would expire if you didn’t join right then), McGaw YMCA was pretty chill. When I came in for a visit — no appointment necessary — they gave me a full tour or the facilities, and even left me with a few guest passes to use to try out the group fitness classes I was interested in. Membership is month-​to-​month.
I’ve enjoyed the cycling and BodyPump classes so far, and have spent time in the fitness center. All of the instructors are fantastic (there’s only one instructor I avoid, but that’s just a personal preference thing), there’s a great mix of different types of people here, and a community atmosphere.
Of course, it’s not the fanciest place, but towels are provided, and nearby parking is included in the membership fees.

What the Y has in classes and gym equipment, it lacks in customer service. After checking their website yesterday before going to the pool, I arrived to learn that the 6 lane pool had been closed since the night before.
Last summer, towels were being rationed and I was given one for my shower after swimming. When I asked for a second, the Y employee shrugged her shoulders and told me that’s what everyone was allowed.
Three times I’ve filled out customer service cards, each time marking yes to the question of whether I would like a staff member to contact me, no one does.
I’ll be looking into other options.

I joined the McGaw Y in order to consolidate my gym efforts. A yoga studio, a spin studio and a general gym all in one, right? Isn’t that better? As it turns out, maybe not because the spinning is just too amateur and the yoga isn’t super convenient. (the best yoga is at, like, 9 am on Saturday, and that just hasn’t been working :/​)
The locker rooms are sweaty. The equipment apparently was just all replaced but it seems weak. I guess I need more, so I’ll likely be going back to separate studios, but for the average family or senior in Evanston, the Y is certainly a source of many ways to stay active and engaged in the community. The pools seem nice as well (and so warm), but I don’t swim. Large b-​ball courts. Even pilates, private, I believe.
Great for others, just not for me.

This is the single most influential place for true Evanstonians. I pretty much grew up here from when I was 10 and onward. This is NOT just a health club, this is a place that brings community together. If you have children and live in Evanston send your kids to Camp Echo and they will have friends for life and the community will stay strong.

In December, McGaw YMCA has a international family festival in its gym. I was here with the Chicago Spirit Brigade to perform as well as man a craft table. The space here was great and wonderfully decorated. The staff was very helpful and offered free breakfast and dinner for its volunteers. There was a great variety of holiday traditions from countries around the world and a great educational tool for children.

I’m updating my review. After belonging to the McGaw YMCA for many years I finally decided to move on to another health club. My decision was difficult and took a couple months to make. The main reasons were:
Overcrowded — with the state of the economy the Y was taking on so many new members looking for a less expensive choice. Many times it was impossible to get to any cardio machines if you came right after work.
Facilities — it is an older building so things break down. I get that, but the same things keep breaking down and are fixed with the skill of a first time home owner DIY project.
Annual cleaning schedule — they close the fitness center for at least a week every year. Not a big deal, but there are not great alternatives provided. You can go to some other YMCAs, but they aren’t convienient and, at least this year, not much notice was given.
The infamous towel shortages! Sometimes there are towels, sometimes there are not. If I don’t know if I’ll be able to shower after a workout, I can’t really plan to do anything (go to a movie, grab dinner, meet friends for a drink). Packing a towel in my already overloaded backpack as a contingency plan isn’t realistic.
The pool schedule is useless for anyone that works normal hours. The swim team is always practicing.
Don’t get me wrong — the equipment is great, there were many great staff members that I’ll miss, they do a lot of good for the community, and I’ll miss the crazy charcters that roamed the halls. I think I’m in a different place than I was when I joined the Y and my needs have changed. I’m not paying much more than I was at the Y. I’d still recommend it for:
Families
Parents with young kids (free child care for 2 hours a day! — can’t beat that)
Anyone looking for an inexpensive gym

First, the positive:
I really like that they offer a variety of classes and allow non-​members to take these classes; albeit for an additional fee.
Then, the negative:
I really want to like the YMCA, but every experience I’ve had here has been challenging. This was my first experience and I should have just given up after this event. My sister and I enrolled in a one day, CPR certification class on a Saturday morning. After finding the room (make sure you pay attention to directions, it can be confusing the first time you’re there) we started the class. After an hour or so the instructor gave us a five minute snack break and let us know the vending machines were on the first floor. My sister and I saw an elevator and took it down to the first floor; once there we realized the door was locked, the only other door there led outside and so we had to take the elevator back up. We pushed the button, the door opened and was full of chairs and an employee who immediately started yelling at us as the door closed. We waited, took the next elevator up and resumed the class.
An hour or so later, we were given a lunch break, this time, we took the stairs. As we were walking out of the building, the employee we saw in the elevator comes up to us and starts yelling at us again. He said we are not allowed to enter the building through the side handicap entrance, that when we’re in «his» YMCA we have to respect the rules; he just kept going on and on with his rant. I’m a pretty reasonable person, I can see why he might think that we entered through those doors (although, I’m sure they’re locked since no one is there and if they are unlocked anyone could just come in and out and use the facility without even being noticed) so I tried to explain that we had taken the elevator down, realized we couldn’t go anywhere from there and tried to go back up. He didn’t listen to a word I said. He just kept yelling over me and accusing us of entering through that door. Let me just say, it was the middle of winter, it was cold and two petite women are going to come in from outside with short sleeved shirts and no coats? We just walked away, there is no point in arguing with someone who is not listening to you and can’t seem to understand that he is being unreasonable. More than anything it was a shock to have an employee yelling at you for no reason, I feel that they should offer their personnel additional customer service training if they need it. We finished the class, passed the test and went home. The class itself was okay, it was hard to work with the mannequins because the room was fairly small and the class was full.

The facility itself receives a 4 or 5, since the pool is great, and they have squash/​racquetball courts. In fact, the racquetball is the entire reason I go, since I live in the city and am a member of a Y which doesn’t have them. The Evanston Y has a nice reciprocal agreement with the High Ridge Y in Rogers Park to allow people like me to use the facility a few times per week. Only facility complaint (and a VERY minor one at that) is that the workout machines don’t have individual TVs.
I lowered the ranking by a star because of the rudeness of some of the staff. When we arrived one morning, we weren’t sure if we were allowed to park in the lot (since it is for ‘Y members only’ and I’m a member of a different Y). I went in to ask if it was OK to park there, or if I had to move, and before I was even able to get my entire question out, the lady at the front desk snapped back that «If you don’t move your car, you’re going to get towed. We don’t have enough space for our own members, we can’t just let you park there.» I don’t know if she was just having a bad day or what, but it was unnecessarily rude enough to merit a one star deduction.

I have belonged to the Y for a couple of years and it’s a great place to workout.
I would also like to point out that they have a great massage therapist, Eloin Rodriguez. He has helped me through a couple of Marathons and several Half Marathons, helping sort out my running issues.
He is highly professional, happy to answer questions and also give recommendations on how to avoid injury or suggestion more efficient stretches.

So I’ve been a member here for about a year now. The only reason why I joined the gym was because my friend wanted me to do Zumba with her. Classes were great in the beginning up until the room started to fill up and there was no room what so ever to dance. It would be nice if they moved it to the main gym so that everyone could go.
I’m thinking of probably canceling my membership because of the lack of room. I’m pretty much paying monthly just for 2 days of zumba a week!!! To top it off I don’t even live in the Evanston area so I’ll be lucky if go after work. I mean I work down the street but dread to go because there’s never any room.
And some of the ladies need to relax with their attitude, no ones perfect so don’t walk around like your crap don’t stink!!!

I have belonged to the Y for many years now. I love the sense of community and everything it offers. I had worked out on occasion. With a weight loss goal (I know we all have them, but I finally decided to be active and aggressive) I hired a personal trainer and could not be more blessed than to receive Heather Collins! She challenged me in ways I never thought possible. She told me what to do when I wasn’t with her and encouraged me along the way. I ended up in her spin classes, boot camp and body shaping classes. I still see her once a week and I have achieved everything I set out to and so much more all because of her. She has changed my life. I know compete in triathlons (who would have thought!!) Thank you to the Y for their amazing programs and for bringing Heather into my life.
P. S. While the gym was closed for cleaning, my life wasn’t all that effected, I LOVED the outdoor bootcamp classes that were offered. I even missed work so that I could come to one!!! They were great! I look at playgrounds so differently know, I love going with the kids!

Wow.
I don’t give out 5 stars easily, but there really isn’t much more I could ask out of the YMCA.
I love the fact that this is a community gathering place in addition to a gym!
I come here for the fitness classes, which have all been AWESOME. I feel like my butt is being kicked when I step inside the studio and that is exactly what I want. I love the diversity of people in my class… old, young, professionals, students!
The instructors in the fitness classes really pump you up to do your best.
Also, you get a free parking permit with membership and it seems to be the most reasonably priced monthly membership around! Your membership goes to a good cause… the Y is very proactive with helping local youth!
Staff is courteous, fresh towels every time you walk in, and a CLEAN environment.

I have been a member for about 8 years and I really like this place. I just took a great boot camp class and the instructors there are very good. They have a lot of free classes that are fun and I always feel energized afterwards. The best thing is that the Y in Evanston does a lot for the community so you feel good about supporting it.
They have great programs for youth, camps and tutoring, and also provide a home for men who might have limited options. It’s the kind of place where when I walk in, I feel like I’m not just going to work out, I’m supporting an organization that is committed to our community. It makes you feel good about being there.

I joined 4 other local gyms before I gave McGaw YMCA a shot in 2007. I’ve never been excited about working out before but McGaw has so many fun free and registration classes that I now look forward to my workouts.
The staff there have been nothing but pleasant and courteous. The trainers know what they are doing and are actually interested in helping should you need it. The equipment has been upgraded within the last two years and recently they’ve even installed better televisions in front of the cardio equipment. There are plenty of hand sanitizer stations and towel/​spray sanitizer areas so you can clean up after yourself. The women’s locker room is always clean with fresh towels sitting out in case you forget to grab one at the front desk. And there is plenty of parking available which is a bonus on those cold/​rainy/​snowy/​dark mornings when I can’t ride my bike.
I can’t say enough good things about McGaw YMCA. You couldn’t pay me to switch gyms!

This place is great. I used to work as a employee there and moved on for professional reasons and some other not-​so-​great reason relating to middle management, but now that I’m a patron, it’s actually a nice place.
Gym is nice, locker room and pool are great (I should know, I used to lifeguard there for 5 years), and the staff is friendly (well, the staff that I never had to work with :-)).
Internal structure is skewy from an administrative perspective, but from an outside perspective, they pull it off really well.
Good place to get a job right out of school. You learn how to be patient. Facilities and programming (to a certain extent) speak for themselves.
Also, if you make less than $ 60K a year, they have financial assistance programs (I got mine for $ 25/​month!). Thank goodness for non-​profits!
Cool beans.

Loving this «Y» so much I sacrafice the local Southside YMCA just to go to McGaw. McGaw is so full of programs for personal growth or family centered activities. Their aquatics center is top notch and the staff is quite helpful. The gyms are great and you can always find the athletic gadget of your choice. At McGaw, kids and adults can thrive for sure. Sidenote, McGaw has some very interesting history that is worth reading about.

BEST YMCA Ever! There are so many awesome and unique things about this Y. The camps (I went to McGaw YMCA’s Camp Echo when I was a child and loved it), the fitness center, the instructors, the community involvement, the babysitting room, and the staff are all exceptional! This is not your ordinary Y. The children’s programs are great — Tae-​kwon-​do, swimming, Parents Night Out, gym or swimming birthday parties! There is so much to do here! The fitness instructors are really top notch! Recommendations: Marilyn — cardio kickboxing, Ine — yoga, Gail — Pilates, Catherine –Pilates. Also, they offer really good, affordable massages and personal training.