Richmond Recreation Center

We walked by here today and I wanted to add some details I couldn’t find in other reviews
They are closed Sunday and Monday
There is no playground or outdoor play area. There are a few benches but they’re behind the locked fence on Sunday/​Monday.
If you want to go to a playground, go 1 block north to Richmond Playground at 149 18^th Ave @ Lake St

Great local rec center. My daughter LOVES the Simply Fun Tot Gym. Tons of cars, balls, a bounce house, and even an area in the «yoga room» for the littler kids to play. The first hour and fifteen minutes is a total free– for-​all, follow your kid around and make conversation with other parents/​nannies. Make sure to bring a snack and a drink for your child and definitely bring some wipes for their hands and some hand sanitizer for after you are done.

I’m speaking for the Muay Tai on Saturday’s. This is a great class for physical contact– it’s like therapy for a person that needs to take it out on someone else martial art and totally safe and great workout. Yes, parking blows… It’s the city what do you expect. Instructor is Marco — Like I said, good workout and looking forward to getting in shape!

We love the Richmond Recreation Center’s programs, especially the amazing and affordable Tot Gym on Tuesday and Friday mornings at 10 AM. For just $ 6 at the door, toddlers get several hours of awesome playtime and running around, guaranteeing a happy kid and a loooooong nap afterwards… which equals a very grateful parent.
The Center’s staff members are friendly, helpful, attentive, and cheery. The range of toys is impressive: cars, tricycles, wagons, balls, a mini basketball hoop, slides, teeter-​totters, climbing gyms, a big bouncy castle, a soft-​mat area, and more. (I don’t mind that the toys are well-​used… they are safe and just fine.) The kids have the whole basketball court to run around on, plus the main entry/​hall, so there’s plenty of space for all. Sometimes they even open up the side room for art projects for the older toddlers. In the last 30 min. of Tot Gym, the staff lead the kids in singing classic children’s songs and distribute music makers (shakers, bells, tambourines, etc.) Lots of fun.
Parking is a challenge around here, but we live fairly close by and always walk to Tot Gym. One caveat: this program is definitely not for young babies or even for those who are crawling… There are so many toddlers running around all around during Tot Gym that it wouldn’t be safe for a crawling baby. He/​she would get run over by the toddler hordes.
All in all, a super program that is a perfect fit for the neighborhood and provides lots of value for the price. Thank you, Richmond Rec Center!

Someone should bring some cheese and crackers to go with all the fucking whine the high schoolers bring.
Waste of money on remodeling. This place and the players suck.
Not to mention, to find parking, I have to drive around circling the gym like a fucking lion circling a gazelle.
#Joke

This place sucks. The hours are garbage and the run is even worse.

Ping pong tables were crowded but we youngins were lucky enough to have some of the oldies teach us some tricks and allowed us to play with them: D
–1 star for the wait.
The place is extremely clean and you can borrow ping pong paddles at the center. Pretty awesome~

This review is based solely on the Tuesday/​Friday toddler gym. I pay $ 4 for an hour of play that completely and utterly wears my little guy out to the point of exhaustion (SCORE!). This alone deserves 5 stars. Tons of balls, slides, «roller coasters», arts and crafts, and sing along time. I also love the workers who really seem to have fun singing and dancing with the little ones.
I *am* deducting a star because lots of the toys are old and don’t really work. I know the budget here is tight but would rather foot extra money to allow them to purchase more up-​to-​date play things.
p. s. I always walk here but for those of you who need to find parking… good luck to you!

The new recreation model seems to be doing well at RR.

I came here on thursday night where there was probably about 40 guys i mean kids that should be doing their homework there. We played one game and lost and we realized that we wouldnt be able to play another game as the gym closes at 9. The gym is new and in better condition that sunset rec. The players their are quite soft and like to call fouls so be warned if your used to street ball contact like i am. Either way id come back again but this time exactly at 715 so i can get in on the first game. Kids should do their homework at home and let the big boys play.

I’ve been to the Richmond Rec Center a few times for different activities, but most recently, I came here for a Muay Thai Kickboxing class I’m taking through SF Rec & Parks. It’s $ ⁴⁰⁄₁₀ classes, which means it’s only $ 4/​class. That’s cheap. I’ve never taken kickboxing before and this ain’t yo mama’s cardio kickboxing. This is contact kickboxing. With gloves. And pads, of course. I’ve only gone to one class so far, but it was super duper fun.
The center itself is in a pretty good location. Parking could be iffy since it’s right off Clement Street, but we managed to find parking really quickly. They do have a parking lot, but I’m not sure you’re allowed to park in it. I’ll have to ask next time, although there aren’t too many spots available anyway. The building is really nice and looks very new and clean. The gym is usually filled with younger guys playing basketball. Inside is a ton of older, mostly Chinese, people playing ping pong.
We were a little lost as to where to go for class, but this Cody Ross look-​alike in the office noticed our confusion and came out of the office to give us directions on where to go. So we went through the kitchen, cut through a little hallway and popped out in another side room where there was a stage. It’s a really good-​sized room for the size of the class.
I’m enjoying the kickboxing class so far and would definitely consider taking other classes here!

And, they canceled volleyball on Tuesday night for «adults» and made it children’ only. When I went there, the guy (s) in charge wouldn’t even get out of his chair to help set up the Turn out were often hit and miss. Sometimes we get 12 to 16 players, which required 2 nets. Sometimes, only 8 people would show up. Then, there were these little tiny kids who wanted to practice serving and weren’t very good and they would hit the balls into our courts and constantly disrupt our games. It wasn’t the best place to play serious volleyball but I did look forward each week to go and play there. Maybe they would revive it one day.

During basketball, hoodlums arrive. Throughout the whole day, ping pong players are at it, filling the hallway with the smell of old people sweating. Add to that, theres a man who works there with a hunch back, the guy is extremely creepy, he loves to kick people out of the dance studio, even no one else is going to use it. O yeh, he loves to invade personal space, my friends are extremely uncomfortable when hes around.

This is a pretty nice rec center. Here you can play volleyball, basketball, badminton, and ping pong. A good place to bring the children or just to chill at in the summer.

I love this place, the gym floor is the best gym floor that I love to play volleyball on. I come here every tuesdays to play volleyball for the past. i don’t know how many years. and not only do I come here for volleyball open gym nights. I came here for practice/​summer practice with my coach Jen Gee, shes not there right now at the moment because of her own issues, but she is one of the nicest people you will meet. Shes like one of the head directors… I think. She might look mean (LOL :D) but she really is helllla nice. :] I thought she looked really intimidating when I first met her too, so don’t be suprised if you get that same impression… :]

LOVE IT. good memories. lots of stuff to do. from basketball to ping pong to volleyball to boardgames. They also have a dance room where you can rehearse (and sometimes for other activities). The whole place is pretty neat and pretty new. I esp. love it in the Spring & Summer!

I like this recreation center, it’s pretty neat and good for the people who live around the neighborhood. The older Chinese people like to come here to play ping pong, since there are conveniently like, 3 or 4 ping pong tables with paddles and stuff. This is an workplace option for some of the MYEEP participants. They have an indoor basketball court and overall the place is nice and the people are friendly.

Weekends are always full of old Chinese Ping-​Pong players who take all the ping-​pong tables!
They are SO IN TO IT AND SO-​GOOD TOUGH SONS OF BITCHES!
Is this somekinda thing that Japo and gardener, Korean and laundromat, Cambodian and doughnut shop, Russian and Mayo-​sushi?
Old Chinese and ping-​pong!
Oh Man, They are all Kickass SMOKIN’ Secret Ping-​Pong Masters!
They must be called «ShaoLin Ping-​Pon»!
Yah, one old guy looked really like a Praying Mantise!
I’ve never seen young ones.
I just want to play ping-​pong but I am not good enough.
sigh…

This is a real neighborhood gem. They offer all sorts of classes and teams — karate, basketball, senior services, aerobics, teen nights, etc. The schedule changes in the fall, spring, and summer so the best way to find out is to call or pick up a paper schedule. The seasonal SF Parks and Rec book is a great one to have.
I have been bringing kids to the «Kid’s Gym» here for 5 years of nannying. Not much changes, including the staff, which is nice.
You go on a Tuesday or Friday morning, anytime after 10. It costs $ 4 a session or $ 2.50 if you buy a punch card of 20. I think this is supposed to be for 9 months– 3 years, but you will see kids up to 5. There are also afternoon sessions for 3 – 5 year olds.
Once you enter the newish building, you will hear the deafening roar of about 75 toddlers shrieking with delight. This is not for the paint of heart.
There are two main rooms, separated by a hallways with restrooms and benches and chairs. The hallway is a good place to go for a snack if your child gets overwhelmed.
To the left is a full size gymnasium, filled with ride on toys, sit and spins, slides, climbing gyms, child size play houses, tumbling mats, balls, balls, and more balls. There is a small area for children under one with all soft toys. Dress your child or charge in a BRIGHT colored shirt, and keep an eye on them. This is a great way for kids to learn sharing if they don’t know many other kids.
When the gym gives you a headache, move across to hall to the quiter small play room. This has play kitchens, easel painting, a craft activity (usually involving glue and glitter — make that BRIGHT shirt a play shirt), little barns with play dinosaurs and animals.
Around 12 it is clean up time (another good skill for kids to learn), and then into the big gym for music time. They put out baskets full of bells, shakers, tambourines, etc.
Then the rec center staff wheels out a huge ghetto blaster, and gets those kids bouncing. There is almost nothing cuter in the world than 75 two year olds doing the chicken dance. This is my favorite part of the experience, so I often come late, around 11, in order to not be overwhelmed by music time.
Afterwards, walk South to Geary for Gordo’s burritos or some sushi, or North to Angelina’s Deli and Café’ on California.

If you like Badminton of the not-​on-​a-​lawn variety. Richmond Rec is a good place to check out on Thursday nights if you are in the hood.
Badminton enthusiasts of all ages gather here from 6p-8:30p every week to rally it up. Space is not the biggest, but the gym here actually holds 4 courts. Be sure to get here early because it fills up pretty fast.
Don’t forget to bring extra birdies (or shuttlecocks for the immature folks out there!) because the ceilings are not really high and the chances of them getting stuck on the bball hoop board, is likely! They have extra feather ones here, but mostly are pretty meh.