Conejo ValleyYMCA

Horrible customer service, older facility, was a member for years. My daughter was in camp and they refused to let me wait on the pool deck and watch her swim. This was after I waited for ten minutes to even have someone help me at the front desk. The manager told me to wait for the front desk person instead of helping me herself. Inappropriate level of support here.

My wife signed our children up for a eight week swimming class in 2013 which required a YMCA membership for both children. The total amount per month to be billed to our credit card was $ 71 a month. At the end of the eight week course my wife informed the administrative people at the front desk that she wanted to cancel our kids membership. Shortly thereafter my wife was diagnosed with Leukemia and my family’s world was turned upside down.
In February of 2015 I realized that the YMCA did not cancel the memberships and that we had been billed $ 71 a month for almost two years. We are talking about over $ 2000 in RECURRING CREDIT CARD CHARGES. I contacted Mr. James Foster, the Membership and Marketing Director at the Conejo Valley YMCA and informed him of the situation. He spoke to the Executive Director (I believe her name is Rochelle Callis) and they were only willing to refund $ 213 (3 months of membership fees) of the over $ 2000 they had billed my credit card. This is the absolute minimum they had to refund me due to Visa credit card dispute regulations.
I always thought of the YMCA an organization that’s core mission is to be a useful resource for the community at large. After this experience, my view of the YMCA has changed. In our particular situation they took as much money off us as possible during our time of hardship. Shame on you Rochelle Callis and James Foster.
I am writing this review to alert people to be VERY CAREFUL about the billing practices of the YMCA Fitness & Aquatic Center.

The kindness and friendly environment you get at this facility you won’t find anywhere else! The people are great and the staff is always welcoming and they give off a friendly vive. The gym is always clean and is never too busy to get a full workout in like other gyms are. Overall it gives off the impression of being more than just an average gym, it’s a family!

I am so grateful for the YMCA — I’ve been coming to this Y for 4 years now, first for swim lessons for my son, then for my son’s swim team practice, and now for the whole family (swim, running, zumba…). My daughter loves the kid’s zone – all the care givers really do CARE about the kids. They engage them in activities and make it a warm and welcoming place so mommy can get in some good cardio!
A year ago I was barely able to run a mile (even though I thought I was in shape!) and joining running club gave me the motivation to become a runner. I’m about to run my first 10K!
The place is a bit old and while they are continually improving it, there are parts that need attention. BUT considering the PRICE and the helpful staff I recommend it highly.
The Conejo Y is part of the Southeast Ventura YMCA system, so membership here allows me to go to the Miller Y in Newbury Park or the Simi Valley Y too when I want options (or newer facilities).

So I have cancelled my membership and am moving on from this YMCA location. It was a good run and I will miss my mornings here and my friends and nice conversations. I am moving my office to Westwood so it is no longer practical to come here in the mornings on my way to work as they do not open until 6am. If they opened at 5am I could stay but that extra hour just does not equate to a doable commute.
I just updated my review to 4-​stars as the Y has finally responded to some of our complaints. They have corrected the issues causing us grief and seem to have staff here now that are receptive to the members requests. This is a welcome change; so in response I have updated my rating. And thank you for finally removing the locks on the windows so 1) we can get out in an emergency; and 2) too bad we had to endure sweltering Summer with no ability to open them. Now that it is Winter, it’s not much help, but nonetheless it is noticed that you all finally responded to the members request.

I recently joined this Y after my Dr. told me to exercise more. I go to the water classes, taught by Lisa. I am very pleased. My friend Nancy joined too, and she likes it a lot also. The classes are well attended. The water is warm and clean.

We recently joined the Y after hearing wonderful things about it from my parents. Signed my kids up for swimming lessons and even non-​member aka Program Rates were very reasonable. Teachers were all nice and staff very friendly. We enjoyed so much we became members! Worth the price! Can’t wait until Westlake location opens!

The facility recently went through a renovation and it is so much better! I was reluctant to check it out again because when I did a few years ago it was a dump. The child watch was in another building and everything was very run down. Now the exercise equipment is brand new and in a cool, quiet trailer. Everything is in a very close walking area.
I can’t say enough nice things about the new child watch. I love that it is directly in front of the exercise room so you can hear your kids. The child watch employees are so nice, warm and nurturing to the children.
I also love the fact that the class sizes are incredibly small. I was a previous Gold’s Gym in Thousand Oaks member and I don’t miss the meat market or the crowds. I love that I don’t have to get to the YMCA an hour before Zumba to get a spot like I did at Golds.
I haven’t used the pool yet and it does have a strong chlorine smell. I seems the acoustics are much better.

First let me say I am a big fan of the YMCA system and I give the employees and volunteers all the kudo’s in the world.
But.
The aquatic center can be absolutely brutal on the senses.
It is a very nice building with a 5 lane overflow pool, a cooldown/​special purposes pool, and a small extension of the main pool.
The accoustics here are beyond painful though. I recently went to a swim meet here, and it must have pushed 120 decibels inside with the little girls piercing screams and the sound bouncing off of the non baffled walls.
They really need to put some kind of sound absorption system or ceiling hanging pylons in this facility because the sound level is beyond real. I witnessed several elderly people covering their ears at times, and I myself, had to step out from time to time.
Great programs I’m sure, but for swim meets, please, be warned and maybe take precautions.