Laurier Brantford YMCA - Brantford, Ontario

Sam S.

I’ve been a member of the YMCA for a while and generally enjoy the gym’s facilities and positive atmosphere. However, I’ve had an ongoing and very uncomfortable experience with one of the personal trainers that has significantly impacted my visits. This trainer, who has blonde hair and glasses, consistently makes me feel self-conscious every time I work out. On numerous occasions, he stands nearby, crosses his arms, and watches me closely while I’m trying to focus on my exercises. It often feels like he’s intentionally observing me, making me feel judged.

This happens every time I go, and I usually just leave and try to ignore it. However, I eventually noticed that this creepy trainer was purposely watching only me and not anyone else, which made me feel even more uncomfortable. One day, he stared at me for about 10 minutes, laughing with his arms crossed while I was trying to work out. His behavior was unsettling and has made me feel demotivated, uncomfortable, and unable to focus on my progress.

A gym should be a place where everyone feels safe, supported and motivated to improve. Unfortunately, this ongoing issue has made it difficult for me to feel comfortable during my workouts. I sincerely hope the YMCA can address this behaviour so that all members can enjoy a positive and respectful gym environment. Everyone deserves to feel welcome and free from discomfort when working on their fitness goals

Cameron I.

The facility is fairly clean and is aesthetically pleasing. Interactions with staff were fine, even though my questions were not answered. My major complaint is with the selection of equipment. There is not enough variety, especially for leg exercises. There is a good selection of flat bench for bench press, but there is no decline bench setup. During peak hours, the gym is filled with students, mostly working out in large groups who occupy one of the limited machines for extended periods of time. As a workout gym, I recommend going elsewhere. If you appreciate the other recreational activities offered, this facility may appease your needs.

Smit S.

Good place for swimming. Monika who is one of life guards is super nice. She gave me great tips about swimming. Somebody give her a raise.

sivaram M.

The facilities and staff are friendly and satisfying but the price keeps increasing and currently it’s 26cad for 2 weeks.. I don’t think the price is worth of the membership.. in my opinion, the price is too much and unfair. I am thinking to quit.

Jag

Love this facility. It has a great gym, a big pool and a decent basketball court. The place is super clean and the atmosphere is nice.

Majorie K.

Cannot believe how expensive the volleyball passes have become!!!! From $6 to $14.50?! That’s an insane hike for a couple hours of court time.

Randi S.

The Brantford YMCA is the nicest looking location I have visited and I have visited a lot of YMCA's in my lifetime. The pools and workout areas are very modern, neat, and tidy. The staff are very personable and the hours of operation could not be more accomodating. I would be happy to give them 5 stars but I will only give them 4. This is why: There are no weigh scales in the change rooms where they would be most handy to track your accurate weight. You have to get dressed and go up a floor to the workout area and weigh yourself fully clothed. This is an easy fix and has been mentioned to the staff. Another peeve is the lockers. They are almost all half lockers which is way too small. In the winter if you walk to the YMCA you better not bring your coat or you'll need two lockers and hence two padlocks. This is another simple fix but it hasn't happened yet.With these two minor problems fixed I would say this particular YMCA is the best in the world.

OxyGentleman

well maintained equipment and nice staff, however they will close the family change rooms without notice for summer camps. the only notice given is on the online schedule, which only notes a pool closure rather than changing room closure in the day. not so great if you and your family left stuff in the locker prior to closing.

please just put a physical sign outside the family changing room that says "closed from 1:00pm to 5:00 pm" on the day of closure or something. otherwise this would be a four or five star review.

edit: it's been about a year, and this still happens. I'm paying twice as much as if I went to the wayne gretzky centre, and they have multiple pools! I don't think I'll be going back to this place unfortunately.