James J. Harris Family Branch YMCA

I'm general, a good facility with dedicated employees. However, some employees don't do their jobs and then are indifferent to members that arenegatively impacted. For instance, some people conduct long, loud conversations on the exercise equipment, in violation of the rules. The staff simply won't enforce it. One dude had a computer on the exercise bike and was barking on a conference call. They refused to do anything, despite the fact that other members can't even listen to a podcast effectively when they're working out.

I love the Harris YMCA branch for many reasons! Keep in mind I use it for the gym almost exclusively. First of all there is also ample parking, it's easy to get to, it's never too crowded in the gym and there's always free equipment (unlike some other locations in town which are consistently packed), the staff is typically very friendly and will greet you at the door, the facilities are clean, and there is an outdoor track. Several people have commented on how old and dirty it was inside, but I have to disagree. It's not a state of the art gym but I've seen a lot worse. Good job Harris Y

This YMCA is no longer the great place it once was. The facilities are not clean. (I will spare you the things I've seen in the women's locker room.). The employees are angry. Some of them are even hostile and seem to openly dislike the members. I have a stressful life. A stressful job. And major health issues. But I used to treat myself with a swim as a relaxing way to end my day. Now, random employees come into the pool area (not the lifeguards) and FULL ON BLAST loud music so that you can't hear yourself think - much less relax! And it's terrible one hit wonder songs from the 80s! Like DELIBERATELY BAD music. Think Dexy's Midnight Runner. I asked the one employee playing the music to turn it off but he refused and got angry with me after just turning it down a tiny bit. He ruined my swim. They also pour chemicals into the pool while you are still swimming. I've asked multiple times for them to wait just 10 minutes until the pool closes and everyone is out but, again, they just get angry and pour them in anyway. Yep, customer care is DEFINITELY not the focus at this gym.

This review is only for the outdoor pool, as I haven't tried the indoor facilities. There are 3 pools (splash park for tiny kids, kiddie pool, and regular pool), and there are lots of lifeguards on duty. I went on a Sunday evening, and it was pretty crowded. Parents bumping into you and their kids splashing/kicking you. It's more of a kid-centric place, even the regular pool. If you want to swim laps, lay out, or generally have a relaxing pool experience, this is not the place for you. I could see it being fun if you've got kids though. Just not for me. Props for safety though.

This YMCA offers many classes to choose from on the group exercise menu. All the instructors are very efficient, and encouraging, while they still offer challenging workouts. Their lobby offers a small cafe that makes great coffee for before or after a workout. The Gymnastics program is excellent! My daughter loves taking this. I would recommend this location to anyone!

Not the most updated gym compared to the Dowd YMCA, but I would say it is one of my favorites to go to. They have a parking lot right on the campus and they also have a great outside workout area as well! Which is something that I have not seen at other YMCA's. They are in the process of building an obstacle course and they also have an outside pool, which I am very excited to utilize in the summer time.Inside is very spacious. Never super crowded, which is a plus. They also offer a variety of group fitness classes for people who want different intensity levels. Overall, Harris branch is a clean and quality gym that should fit anybody's work out needs.

Unfortunately the outdoor pool that I took my grandkids to at the Harris Y was a disappointment. The pool is lovely with slides and large open areas with lounge chairs along with covered areas with picnic tables. However the lifeguards made it impossible to enjoy. They blew the whistle constantly at all the kids including my grandsons (11 & 9) who know the rules since they've grown up at the Brace Y, but they were extremely strict with the slides and with every activity the boys did. We will not go back to the Harris Y. You can be strict but still allow it to be fun. We've never had this problem with Brace Y and it makes me appreciate the job well done by the lifeguards and management there.

I am very frustrated by my recent experience as a member at the Y. I have lived in Charlotte all my life and have been a member of the YMCA on and off throughout my time here. The YMCA was always a place I could go as a kid to enjoy my time, play some basketball, go to the teen center, swim or even just socialize with friends. The YMCA in its current form is not the YMCA I grew up with. When I brought my 10 year old daughter to play basketball on a Saturday morning we were looked at with disdain by the front desk and told we were NOT allowed to play basketball until a designated time due to classes being held in the gym. The front-desk associate made us feel unwelcome even though we pay for a family membership to this facility. We went in to use the indoor track and found that the entire gym is taken up by 13 people for an exercise class that could be held in a multipurpose room.The basketball facility hours are not reasonable for children. Often the only times available are 5am-7am or after 7pm at night which is not feasible when my daughter goes to bed at 9pm. There are huge swaths of time throughout the day where the basketball facility is inaccessible and there are no classes going on. For example today there is a block of time from 11am until 5pm where there are no classes in the facility but families and more importantly kids and teens who need things to do to stay out of trouble cannot access the basketball court less they be turned away with frowns and unkind words at the front desk.There is no teen center facility or any other facility for kids to socialize, play games or be entertained. When I was a Y member at my daughter's age we played pool, ping pong, video games and had a TV in the teen activity center. Then the entire dance studio as it is now, was launched as the YMCA teen center and it was THE place to be after school if you were 12-16. This no longer exists in any form at the Harris YMCA.It feels as though the YMCA has drifted from a family and kid oriented place to something that is vastly different from what I grew up with and what I want my children experiencing. We should be welcome at the facility not immediately turned away and treated with disdain because we are carrying a basketball.I doubt anyone reads this in its entirety but please understand that I am not alone in this feeling and there are several families that I have recommended to this facility that are experiencing similar lack of access and the feeling of not being welcomed. The basketball court should be open any time there are not classes going on, and classes should be able to accommodate and share the space given the several thousand dollar divider for the gym that exists.I am extremely disappointed and will be looking elsewhere for a facility that better fits families looking to be involved with youth sports and to provide a place for their children to socialize and grow as young people.

LOVE the water cardio classes!!!! The instructors are phenomenal. After just a few months, I am in so much better shape! I look forward to continuing this for years to come. Plus, the lifeguards are all wonderful, also.

This place has been the same inside for the past 12 years!! Time to renovate!! The parking is horrendous! The parking places are illegally narrow!! I will stay for 6 more months then if no changes I will be leaving! They seem to be most interested in the programs people pay extra! The gym is rarely open to shoot baskets!! They need to concentrate more on the people paying monthly!!