About
Indoor pool featuring a kids' zone and swim lessons and team options.
The aquatic center typically maintains distinct temperatures for its pools to accommodate different activities. The lap pool (often referred to as the competition pool) is generally kept cooler, usually around 80-82°F (26.7-27.8°C), ideal for fitness swimming. The warm water pool, used for therapy, lessons, or recreational play, is typically maintained at a higher temperature, often around 88-90°F (31.1-32.2°C).
What are people saying (AI review summary)? This facility receives mixed reviews. Positive aspects highlight an awesome, clean-looking facility with wonderful indoor pools, large locker rooms, and effective swim lessons taught by friendly, knowledgeable, and professional instructors who help children become strong swimmers. It's also noted for not being overcrowded. However, a significant number of reviews point to severe management problems, including a lack of effective leadership and poor communication. Recurring issues include the family pool being frequently closed due to staffing shortages or 'chemical imbalances,' inconsistent and overly strict swim test policies for children (even for those who are strong swimmers or have passed tests elsewhere), and confusing reservation requirements. Many members express frustration over unhelpful staff, a lack of consideration, and unclear information regarding operating hours for specific areas (like the water slide), leading to negative experiences and a desire for management changes.
Location
Gallery
Amenities
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Accepts Credit Cards
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Parking Lot
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Accessible Entrance
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Accessible Restroom
Reviews
Listing Reviews
April 22nd, 2025Jake Lyell
This is such a great looking facility, but it has very severe management problems. The family pool is rarely open due to staffing issues. All children 12 and under must take a swim test before entering the pool even if they have passed before, either at this location or other locations. Most of the time, staffing is so short that they are unable to perform swim tests, however, nor are they able to keep track of who has passed the test. When staff can perform swim tests, passing the test means being an expert, swim-team caliber swimmer – not just swimming from one end to the other of the olympic size pool and treading water for 1 minute (which my kids do extremely well). The staff here do not trust parents to understand their own children's swimming capabilities, even when the parents are swimming alongside their own children. Nor do they trust YMCA staff at other facilities either. My six year old son took private lessons at Patrick Henry, passed his swim test there and swims regularly with his sister and friends there. Not at Frank Thornton. The lifeguards are nice here, but there's so few of them that the pool cannot operate at capacity. I won't come back until the management changes. Perhaps when management does change, they'll be able to recruit more staff.
August 23rd, 2023Ashley Ramsey
Awesome facility! Awesome staff! Our children (4 & 7) have been enrolled in swim lessons for a few months now and they LOVE it! The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. Their safety practices are great for smaller swimmers. When we enrolled our boys they could not swim at all and now within just a few months they are swimming! I love that it’s never over crowded. The lifeguards are great. Very professional. The swim instructors are very knowledgeable and work well with children at every level. I highly recommend. If you are trying to come for family reservations they open up like 22 hour ahead online, call and get the details for booking online, they are very helpful with providing the information needed to book online if you are having difficulties reserving your spot.
June 14th, 2025Roschell Small
Poor management and lack of effective leadership. My son and I went to swim on Saturday June 14th (today) at 1:50pm and was told by a very passive "manager" that lacked major consideration that we can't attend because we need a reservation after 2pm. It was 1:50pm when we entered the building AND we have YMCA memberships that is PAID ON TIME every month. So you close the pool to members but open it to non members at 2? And I live in Henrico as well but I guess my paid membership wasn't enough. I was also then told the family swim pool was closed because of a "chemical imbalance". It seemed as if she lacked any care or consideration. I had to ask the questions to get any sort of insight into when my son and I could actually swim. It doesn't help that my child is autistic and has sensory challenges. It felt very judgemental and horrible. This is why I leave my side of town and go across town to another location because the management is not the best
April 9th, 2025Emily Thomas
Wonderful indoor pool to go with family. Daughter and I had a great time in the pool. Large locker rooms
August 8th, 2024Sarah Ott
My little one was so excited about the water slide and we showed up around 10:30 am to find out that the family/kids area is only open from 3-7 pm. This is nowhere on the website with the hours posted, as I checked before getting the family ready to go. When we got there the staff showed us the obscure place on the scheduling page (where you find the workout schedules) that “Open Swim” is the only time the family area is open.
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Opening Hours
| Sunday | 12:00 – 5:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Monday | 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM |
| Thursday | 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM |
| Friday | 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 3:00 – 7:00 PM |
| Saturday | 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
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