Dennis Vecchiarello Sr

Review of YMCA of Long Island

I have been a member at the YMCA for 50 years. Mos...

I have been a member at the YMCA for 50 years. Mostly in Queens, NY and Bay Shore, NY. Most years I hardly visited the Y but paid my membership anyway because I believe in what the YMCA does and who they help. We have been members since Patchogue YMCA opened in 2010. Our cost is $68.00 per month to use the pool only for 1/2 hour, 3 times per week. On 4/15/19 my wife and I were told by Executive Director Donna M. Boyle and Associate Executive Debbie Santoro at the Patchogue, NY YMCA that our membership has been terminated because we complain when the pool is not operating at a temperature not usable for a senior to exercise in, 82-84 degrees. We complained when the pool was 80 degrees or less and we only complained to the executive staff, not to the younger staff. We were always disgusted to see young children shivering with blue lips and the disabled and or seniors not able to use the pool because it was too cold. We complained not just for us but for every other YMCA member who couldn't use the pool. My wife and I are both retired/disabled and use the pool to exercise. The only low impact exercise we can do. Newsday article 10/23/10 "In the new facility, the swimming pool is in a glass-enclosed room where water is set at a constant 85 degrees, Boyle said, with an air temperature of 90 degrees. "It's summertime all year round in here," she said." During the years as members at the Patchogue Y we have overlooked many problems that the YMCA has. Many pool closing for repairs (sometimes for weeks), constant mold in showers, shower water temperature too cold to shower in, stagnant water on shower floor for days, staff allowing members to use lockers permanently while signs state locks will be removed on Sunday evening which makes finding an open locker hard to find and very small changing areas. Another incident, Associate Executive Debbie Santoro allowed a male worker to be in the women's shower while my wife was showering. The main problem at the Patchogue YMCA is that there is no membership liaison working for members so staff can do whatever they may please with no consequences. Not even the Long Island YMCA President & CEO Anne Brigis will help you. When has it been a crime when you complain, that you are not getting what you pay for? So before you sign on the dotted line make sure you and your family know what you are getting into.