Jewish Community Center

An overpriced, deteriorating health club with rude management and a severe identity crisis.
This review is not for JCC itself, which is a great community organization, but strictly for their health club.
I was using it for several years, then grew dissatisfied with it. The «executive membership» locker facilities are old and poorly maintained, with carpet that hasn’t been cleaned in years; the laundry service that never dries your laundry, leaving it inside your locker wet and moldy; the showers half of which don’t run hot water; the jacuzzi which is poorly cleaned and stinks of chlorine.
The aerobic exercise equipment is OK but a working elliptical can be hard to find on a busy night. They bring a large group of «special needs» patients to the health club around 7 pm, just as the place gets crowded. The pool is great — if you can find a lane to swim in, again fairly problematic unless you go there at weird hours.
With all of that, the cost is rather high. Unless you get a special promotion, they charge around $ 1300 a year — a price that doesn’t match what this facility can offer. When my «promotional» rate was doubled, I called to cancel and was informed that they will still charge me for another month at full premium, just because they can (a clause buried in the small print in your contract).
So, is it a fancy health club or a community organization trying to help all groups of people? Not sure — the facilities are not up to the high standards, and the paying patrons don’t get exclusive use of sports equipment or pool area; yet they charge a lot and are very cut-​throat in collecting this extra monthly payment without providing any service.
My advice to JCC Health Club — figure out what is it you want to be, price your plans accordingly, and get your staff some Customer Service training.

This JCC hosts a variety of programs for senior citizens. They have renovated it many times over and it is a real community gem, including to the nearby Russian-​speaking immigrants.

The JCC in Oak Park is full of personality. It doesn’t have the same overly-​tailored appearance and feel that bigger gyms like Franklin or BHC have. Instead, its more intimate and everyone knows each other. The health club staff is wonderful. I had a trainer, Eugene, while in high school and he really helped get me in shape while molding my self-​esteem. Sure, it’s not glamorous, but it’s a gym and it serves its purpose.

Apparently I belong to a gym. So, the JCC is not the greatest facility, but it has a lot to offer. There is an indoor pool, a full basketball court, a dilapidated weight-​room downstairs, a small but respectable fitness club upstairs, steam and sauna, and everyone knows your name. If you are looking to save money on a gym membership, I guess I would go elsewhere, and avoid the JCC’s cheapest option, which doesn’t allow access to the upstairs health club. I think this averages to 1 star per medicine ball.