Complaint Review: Heritage YMCA

If you are thinking about getting a membership at the Oswego YMCA, please read this first.

If you are wanting a Nice Family Gym to join so that your whole family can work out and enjoy a gym experience together, do NOT join this YMCA.

There is a group of older teenage boys who utilize the gym every night there is Open Gym.  These boys "own" the gym.  They have harassed, bullied, and scared my young children to the point where they are too afraid to ever go back to any YMCA for fear that these boys will be present.  My children are 11, 9, and 6 (the older being young and very sweet little girls who were the primary targets of these boys.)

On 3 occasions, 2 of which we reported incidents to Ginger, the manager on duty in the evenings, and 1 of which we simply just left the facility to avoid a confrontation and also because my child was afraid to stay, my family has experienced anything but a wonderful family gym experience.  These boys are allowed, by the YMCA manager from the Director on down,  to "own" the gym.  No one else is welcomed there.

This evening, when my daughter was once again bullied off the gym court by these boys, Ginger the management staff on duty allowed these boys to stay in the facility even though my 9 year old was crying in fear and my other children were afraid as well.  When I asked her wh, she didn't just tell them to leave, she told me that she had no authority to do so and defended their right to play in the gym.  She went on and on about "these poor boys who had no other place to play and had to wait so long....."  She just went on and on with this sob story and showed obvious preference to the rights of these bullies over my young children who were obviously VERY afraid.  She came and told my 9 year old who was in tears "Don't be afraid, these are nice boys just acting like boys."  NO WAY!  I know many many boys that do not behave the way these thugs behavior regularly.  This is NOT regular "boy" behavior Ginger.  This is gang banger bullying and territorial behavior similar to that of a dog peeing on a tree to claim the territory and growling at anyone who comes into his marked territory.  THAT is the FACT.  Do NOT tell my little girl who is in tears that the very boys who verbally assaulted her and threatened her family that she shouldn't be afraid.  Do NOT tell my little girl that that horrible behavior is normal and acceptable "boyish" behavior, Ginger.  

The boys verbally disrespect not only other members (me and my family) but also the YMCA staff who obviously are too afraid of these boys to create an atmosphere of safety for all members.  The YMCA management refuses to create strict rules of conduct to maintain membership and use of the facility.  When on now two occasions (and we are new members) Ginger does nothing but "talk to" the boys who then continue their gang banger type behavior towards me and my children when her back is turned after she has her "talk" with them, it has become all too obvious that this business has NO desire to run a facility that is safe for Families but instead caters to Gang Banger Bullies who are allowed to run the place and drive off peace loving families who want to play a basketball game together without being harassed and bullied.

Brent, the Facility Director, was sympathetic to the boys.  Out of shear fear and intimidation, I left with my 3 children and the Gang Banger bullies were allowed to stay.  They were allowed to behave in a way that drove off a mother and her 3 young children and Brent, the Director, had the nerve to suggest, as I sat out in my car with my tearful 3 children, that because I was upset that I had caused the situation.  He had the nerve to tell me that because I was dealing with the situation that these thugs caused, that I was the reason that my children were upset!  I have never witnessed such gross behavior from someone who holds the title Director.  

He accused me of being prejudice!  Well, the fact is, the group of boys were a mixed group of both African American and Caucasian American boys and I didn't care what color their skin was.  I was am still am very upset at the fact that not only do I pay monthly for a gym that I cannot even use because my children refuse to ever go back out of fear, the very people who drove out me and my young children are given the message that they can "run the place" and get away with threatening and bullying behavior towards other members who want to use "their" gym.

Brent, the Director (and I use that term loosely because he isn't directing anything well), didn't care that I was called a b***h in front of my children and laughed at by this group of gang banger boys as I LEFT the gym peacefully to avoid further confrontation with them and to help my children to feel safe.  He didn't care that 3 of the boys, as I sat in my vehicle waiting for my children to buckle up, drove by my car and shaped their fingers into Guns and threatened me and my children saying with hand gestures that they were wanting to shoot us simply because I stuck up for my children and our right to be in that gym.

No.  Brent, the Director, was sympathetic to the boys and blaming of me, why?  Because I was upset?  Well, you would be upset if you and your children were threatened as well.  You would be upset if the establishment you paid for allowed bullies and thugs to drive you out and allowed them to stay.  You would be upset too if you were threatened with being shot simply because you were standing up for yourself and your children.  I never raised my voice and I directed all my complaints towards the proper management.  It is NOT my fault if the boys are used to running the place, knowing that Ginger has NO authority to terminate their right to use the facility.  These boys now exactly what they can get away with and they got away with it again this evening.  Ginger told me on the first occassion that they boys have created similar issues with other families.  Yet, the facility still allows the boys to be their, without parental supervision, and without any consequence for their thug like behavior.

From Brent the Director down, the management support thugs and bullying and has chosen to run off a peace loving nuclear family.  

We are happy to leave the YMCA.  Please do not waste your money.

Stay FAR AWAY from this place.  This is NOT a family friendly gym by ANY means.