I recently moved to Kentucky from a very small town in Illinois. I have been a member at four different YMCAs as an adult. RCDurr is, hands down, the worst.
I was very excited to see all of the programs they offer. I talked with someone about membership and was told about the pools and water parks. My kids saw cheerleading and tumbling programs. They were stoked!
The first time we went there we were asked if we were referred. We weren't, but it seems to be common practice for whoever is walking past you in the lobby to refer you. Both get 20% off of the membership. If you refer more people you get $20. Why not just reduce the price 20% so that more people would come? I have to say this YMCA is the most expensive I've seen also.
My family has been there a total of four times. The second time I went there it was for my daughter's swim lesson. I dropped my first grader and 6-month-old in the child watch center. Between changing, the class, and changing again my kids were left in the care of the child watch center for a little less than an hour. I hadn't even gotten to the desk when a woman barreled through the doors and yelled, "Are you S****'s mother!?! He's been crying since you left!". Firstly, I was not only in the building, but I was also only 30 feet away. Why would they let an infant cry for an hour? I went to go inside and grab my hysterical baby. She stepped in front of me and refused to allow me inside. I was livid. She said employees only and parents are not allowed in the room under any circumstance. I told her that I know that's illegal in Illinois and I intended to find out if that's the case in Kentucky.
Upon investigation, it is against the law to prevent parents from entering a childcare facility. This YMCA gets around that because they're not licensed. I called the CEO and no one responded. The executive director did call me. He pussyfooted around subject talking about "exceptions to the rules" and I was aghast. "It's for the safety of the children", he explained. Four YMCAs and this is the first that does not have better security measures than to keep parents out of there. It looks highly suspicious, at best. After several conversations and emails I was told that the policy (which was never explained to me fully. Parents are allowed inside. No, wait, only in certain circumstances. No, they can't come inside. Well of course you can come inside to calm your child or breastfeed) will remain, but the employees only sign would be removed.
Fast forward two weeks. Again, I dropped my baby and first-grader in the child watch room. I made it very clear that I do not want my child crying for more than 10 minutes. Fifteen minutes later I was pulled from the tumbling class to get my son. I said he may want to breastfeed. Again, I was blocked from entering to retrieve or feed my baby. Instead, I was left standing in a very busy lobby on a Monday at 5 pm with my breast exposed.
This is beyond ridiculous. They did promise refund my membership fees and program costs. The fact still remains. I don't know what they're doing in there and they certainly don't want me to know. My kids will NEVER be allowed in any room or facility where I can't walk inside and see what they're doing.
Review from Guidestar