McGaw YMCA

About

The McGaw YMCA, located at 1000 Grove St, Evanston, IL 60201, USA, is a comprehensive community center offering a wide range of programs and facilities. It provides fitness and wellness services including a gym, group exercise classes, and personal training. Additionally, it features extensive aquatics programs, youth development initiatives like early childhood education, school-age care, summer camps, and sports, as well as various community-focused programs.

The McGaw YMCA typically maintains its Lap Pool (Patten Pool) at around 79-80°F (26-27°C) for lap swimming and water aerobics. The Warm Water Pool (Ryan Pool) is usually kept warmer, at approximately 88-90°F (31-32°C), suitable for therapeutic use, swim lessons, and family activities.

What are people saying (AI review summary)? Overall, the YMCA receives mixed reviews, with strong positive feedback for its gym and facilities, but significant negative criticism for its 2025 Summer Day Camp program. Members praise the YMCA for its friendly, helpful, and professional staff across various departments, including fitness instructors, personal trainers, and Kids Club personnel. The facilities, such as the McGaw Y, are described as wonderful, with amenities like an easy-to-use app for classes, convenient parking, and well-organized swim classes with beneficial family locker rooms. Members appreciate the motivating and inviting atmosphere for workouts, and personalized attention from trainers and massage therapists. However, the 2025 Summer Day Camp experience was overwhelmingly negative for one reviewer. Issues cited include a severe lack of communication from counselors to parents, a failure to address rule-breaking by some campers (leading to constant group reprimands), and a significant lapse in protocol and communication regarding an inappropriate incident involving a swimmer. This led to the camper not enjoying the experience, and the parent no longer recommending or enrolling their child in the camp. Minor criticisms for the gym facilities include an overly open shower room, a need for locker room renovation (e.g., programmable lockers), and aqua classes being exclusively in deeper water, making them challenging for some.

Location

Gallery

Amenities

• Accessible Entrance

Reviews

Listing Reviews

August 26th, 2025

Leticia Soto

My daughter has been a YMCA Summer Day Camper since she was in second grade and all the years she has been there, she enjoyed the camp. She would like going and was happy to go. The camp counselors were friendly and are there for your camper. And the communication was great and they did a lot of outdoor activities and STEM. This summer of 2025 YMCA Summer Day Camp was the worst camp my daughter ever had! She did not want to go anymore but tried to make the best of it for she wanted to see her camp friends. Due to lack of communication from the camp counselors with the parents and there were many children who did not follow the rules at that camp that everyone in the group got reprimanded and this occurred on many occasions. Other times, the counselors would inform the parent/guardian to have your camper follow the YMCA rules or they will be removed from camp. This never occurred for the kids who did not listen were still at camp so everyone got reprimanded almost on a daily basis. My daughter tried her best to make it a good summer but overall she wasn't enjoying this year summer day camp. YMCA Summer Day Camp failed to take action and followed protocol when a Summer Day Camp swimmer did something inappropriate. I never received information from what occurred via email or a document of the outcome. This upsets me and I'm very disappointed that it happened at this camp. Due to all that has occurred this summer at YMCA Day Camp we will no longer enroll and do NOT recommend this summer day camp. Everyone needs training on how to communicate and follow protocol and make it a great YMCA Summer Day Camp like it used to be. They have a lot to do to fix this camp and make it a great camp. Save your money! Enroll your child to another camp! Leticia

September 1st, 2025

Jose “Joe” Mezquita

The McGaw Y is a wonderful place. My family and I started going there around 2 months ago and have been very impressed with the facilities and the staff. Everyone that we have come across is friendly and helpful. Our toddler loves going to the Kids Club.

June 3rd, 2025

Victoria Livingston

We recently decided to get a family membership, and I'm very pleased by the YMCA. The app is easy to use to sign up for classes, the staff are very professional, and there is easy parking for those who need it. Additionally, after trying out multiple different swim classes in the area, we're really happy with the swim classes at the Y for our 5 and 8 year old (and the kids are happy too!). The classes are well organized, and I love that there is a family locker room. It makes the post-pool process so much easier!

April 9th, 2025

Kathie Holzman

My husband and I have been members for about two years. He works out on machines 6 days a week. I am more comfortable taking classes and recently am taking personal training. I find the instructors to be very friendly, knowledgeable and the classes enjoyable and helpful. My personal trainer understands my issues and works with them. My massage therapist at the Y is perfect for me, finds all of my areas that need attention. The only negatives I find are the shower room is very open and the locker room can use some work such as lockers that are programmed to lock, The other negative is the aqua classes are all in deeper water, I have a hard time using the noodles while exercising. For the most part I enjoy my experience.

June 3rd, 2025

Kortney Driver

The staff at this Y are very involved with making a guest experience warm and inviting. I have never felt uncomfortable working with staff and trainers, and the trainers do a great job of keeping you motivated without making you feel like you should be embarrassed. Overall a great place to workout or hangout while being active.