David Teachout

Review of Visser Family YMCA

The YMCA is supposed to be a community focused fac...

The YMCA is supposed to be a community focused facility but this location s open hours are based more on the preferences of management and staff. While the other Grand Rapids Metro locations are open on New Year s Day, this location is not. On New Year s Eve they closed the family pool at noon, 1 hour before the facility closed. They regularly close the pool area early, but an hour? There were several members still enjoying the pool, me included, who were kicked out of the pool we pay to use.

Even on non-holiday days they close the pool area at least 30 minutes prior to the posted facility closing time. I can understand closing a few minutes early but I ve noticed the lifeguard staff leaving the area within 10 minutes after closing the pool; not 30 minutes. You can see through the windows in back they are gone and pool area sits empty.

Furthermore, all locations open early on Sunday morning except the Visser; they don t open until 1:00 PM. I realize there is a church service adjacent to the Y, but there is still plenty of parking available. It can't be the inability to compile a staff as I am certain the percentage of staff that attend church at the Visser is similar to other YMCA locations and they are open. Again, this is clearly more for the privilege of management and staff than membership.

It seems to me that if this was a for-profit facility the customer would be the priority. But in the case of the nonprofit Visser YMCA, management seems to dictate based on their preferences without regard for its paying members.

Throughout the YMCA web site (local, national and international) neighbors and community are emphasized as part of the organization s focus and goals. Why does the Visser facility ignore this part of the organization s creed?
1 example of many: Community-focused nonprofit established in 1844 with recreational programs & services for all ages.

Most sincerely,
Dave