Facility review: Greater Portland YMCA

March 30, 10:15 AMPortland Fitness ExaminerAdrienne Stauffer

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AP Photo/David Zalubowski

The Greater Portland branch of the Cumberland County YMCA, located downtown at 70 Forest Ave., is exactly what I have come to expect from a YMCA. The facility offers a lot, but always seems to come up just a little short.

I am a proud member of the YMCA, but I have to admit, it’s not my favorite fitness facility in town. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of great things about the Y: they offer memberships on a sliding scale to folks who are less fortunate, they really do focus on the community, family activities are abundant, and the emphasis on healthy living is much appreciated.

The building is older, with a newer addition that makes the whole thing very maze-like; I’m sure there are areas that I have yet to explore, but I’m afraid I’ll end up wandering endlessly like Alice in Wonderland. After some trial and error, I can now successfully navigate between the cardio room, the weight room, and the locker room.

The cardio room, which offers treadmills, elliptical machines, ArcTrainers, and bicycles, overlooks the pool, so it’s great for parents who want to get in a workout while they watch the kids. It doesn’t feel like there is a lot of equipment, but I have never had to wait for a machine, so it seems to be adequate for their clientele. The weight room is connected to the cardio room and has all the usual machines and free weights. There is limited specialty gear like stability balls, a BOSU, and balance trainers, so you have to hunt for it a bit.

The bottom line is, the Portland YMCA is great for families and couples because the family membership is affordable. A single membership, however, is pricy for what you get. A few minor tweaks like a couple coats of paint, new (and more) lockers, and a good cleaning would make the Y experience much more enjoyable, but you can certainly get a great workout regardless.

Pros: they have two pools, basketball, squash, and racquetball courts, steam room and sauna, family memberships are offered, lots of classes, the feel-good factor

Possible cons: it could be cleaner, parking can be difficult to find, the staff is pleasant but not always very helpful, towel service costs extra ($2 per towel)