Member Testimonials
The Y has been an important part of our lives for over 35 years. My wife and I met at the Tacoma Center YMCA and will celebrate 34 years of marriage in a few days. It’s about the people. From the staff to the friends you meet it’s a community and a family with purpose.
The facilities are always well maintained and improved and the staff is helpful and friendly. Some of the best days of our lives were running hills or the Point and park with Phil and Charlie. Special place, special times.
Everything!
Especially the friendly, helpful staff!
Excellent!!!
Love the new facility with the steam room, sauna , and hot tub/jacuzzi. The new weight room is great! Staff is friendly and the community of members is casual and comfortable. The locker rooms are tight and the floor to ceiling showers make it difficult to keep an elderly person safe. I only saw one handicap shower. Looking forward to the next phase to spread out and to share the love.
I like that Tacoma Center is consistent each morning with very few disruptions in operation. It has a nice mix of spaces and is thoughtfully laid out in a way that provides private space if needed. The mix of free weights, resistance machines, cardio machines and pool is great and I find that I can change it up week in and week out to fit how I'm feeling.
I do think that there are a few things that could be be improved though.
1. More barbell clips. For some reason these walk around the gym. It feels like this is a safety issue that could cause people to lift without clips. Seems like low hanging fruit to get more clips.
2. I really miss the Expresso bikes. Those were a staple for years and then they broke and disappeared. I find it hard to bike on a stationary bike without something to look at. Any bike with a tv screen or some game component would improve the cardio options at Tacoma Center.
3. The music during the classes in the gym can often be very loud and drown out the sound of personal headphones. Not everyone takes those classes, so it feels like they shouldn't dominate the senses of everyone else who decides to use their membership. Especially at 5:30AM-6AM. Mid-volume seems more appropriate.
The pool area. A great area if you have restricted abilities and/or injuries.
Love it.
I very much like the yoga instructors and the cleanliness of the facility.
Clean friendly.
Staff is excellent. Community of members is welcoming and friendly. Location in downtown Tacoma is really nice. I like the facility - it's well maintained, clean and has a lot to offer for all types of workouts and activities.
the hot tub and I can access the y early in the morning hrs.
Friendly staff
I love the life and activity that fill this place the sounds of families, young people, elders, and children all coming together to do something productive. The variety of options, along with the cultural and ethnic diversity, makes me feel safe. Thank you.
It is always available when I want to use it. The staff are universally friendly and helpful, and the group fitness instructors very expert, engaging, and encouraging. Also, my Center City has the array of Precor machines, running track, group fitness classes, and elliptical machines that I appreciate and use 3 to 4 times a week.
I feel safe there .
I enjoy yoga with Jennifer.
It is a friendly place that offers many types of activities
15 and up attendance.
Located downtown.
Wonderful staff and instructors.
Recent improvements.
Todo desde la resepcion hasta todo lo existente dentro de las instalaciones
I like the classes that are held at convenient times for people who work during the week day. I also really like Amanda, jennifer, Danny and Miranda. They are very welcoming and encouraging. They acknowledge my progress.
Very convenient. I love the machines, the steam room, and the pool. Thank you.
Hi there! I love the downtown Y and I've been working out there for over 40 years. In the past 10 years, my routine is to use the elliptical trainer and then the weight room. I was very sad when you took out the elliptical trainers that have arm motion.
I am writing to request that you install more elliptical trainers. Lately, sometimes all the are in use when I arrive. Other machines are hardly used. The UW Y has 6-8 elliptical trainers.
Their for listening!!
Everyone at the front desk is super personable and helpful. I always feel greeted in a genuine way. I love the staff throughout the entire center, but I’m a swimmer and I’ve had a really great experience with the lifeguard community.
Additionally, members are just way friendlier than any other gym that I’ve ever been to. People are super motivating and it’s a great inclusive and mixed community of all age ranges of adults from different backgrounds. It feels super comfortable to be here and I feel part of something in city that I don’t feel in other places.
I I’m very grateful for the Tacoma center and giving me a place that I want to return to you again and again. I have a long way to go with my health, but I’m off to a good start. I look forward to continuing the process here in self discovery of my body mind and spirit.
Not too crowded, love rack city. When you giys were doing the demo the old rack city room could turn the lights down. It would be cool if we could do that in the new rack city. Really shoe off that sign!
I really love the Y and go frequently. The new renovations are great! My biggest complaint is now that the rooms are all closed off it can be very loud and echoing with the music playing. Especially in weight room 3. It can sometimes be almost unbearable in there when I’m trying to listen to my own music in through my earbuds. It would be nice if the music could be turned down in that room. Thank you for listening.
I actually usually go to Pearl Street, but my experience at Center over the decades, exercise options, staff, etc. has been excellent.
Not child driven.
Helping the community
I especially like the availability of the swimming pool. There always seems to be a lane for me. I rarely have to wait or share a lane. I can get my workout done and get to work at a decent time.
Friendly, clean, quiet
Friendly staff and nice group of people at the downtown YMCA.
The pool is great
However the downtown Y has horrible music. I wouldn’t even call it music. When I use weights and such I try to block it out but it is so obnoxious it is hard to ignore.

It’s a family feeling environment. All of the staff is amazing and the facility is constantly being improved.