Chelsea Pool

The center is good ! But many HOMELESS ! Carrying alot property stored in locker . That may be ok . The problem is VERY STINKY ! VERY STINKY ! The homeless washed clothes in showroom for hours running water ...... Who care ? Who care ? Only TRUMP !

Clean and not crowded swimming pool

I've been going here for yrs since fee was $150 for everyone. I was a customer who orchestrated with old manager to attend City Hall meetings to get prices for Seniors, Children & Veterans lowered. I love this location bc not all locations have a pool ‍. It also, has aerobic morning classes for ppl with lower extremities issues workout sessions. The main gym is on the 4th floor, Treadmills, exercise bikes etc on 3rd floors w/ basketball courts opposite. 1st fl entrance has billiards tables, and ping pong tables. It's normally., a good vibe with pleasant staff members, however, no one's perfect. Lately, they're hiring young ppl with bad manners towards customers. Unfortunately, what young staff doesn't understand is w/ out customers there's no need for this building or staff. It's important to be nice. I said Hello twice to girl in photo upon entering & all I got was a blank stare & attitude. She's the girl in the middle in light color shirt. Later, boss told same girl to do something & she rolls her eyes . Avoid her at all cost or her attitude might mess up your workout. What I don't get is,?if ur not a people person don't take the job. Burger King is always hiring. Ijs

Chelsea Recreation Center is a great resource in theory - plenty of gym equipment, ping pong tables, and exercise classes, but I mainly use it for the pool. It's a good-sized 25 yard indoor pool, great for lap swimming. Unfortunately the time of year when one would be most inclined to use the pool is summer, and that's when they reduce the available hours, apparently due to a lifeguard shortage. This means it's not open in the morning when I would prefer to go, and when I can break away to go during my lunch hour it's packed with 5 people per lane, which is a terrible experience. Overall, even though the fee for 6 months or a year is incredibly inexpensive, I feel like I wasted my money because I have barely been able to use the facilities. Also, even with a somewhat recent renovation, they failed to install proper ventilation in the showers so there are gnats crawling all over the walls. Plus, there appears to be a homeless man living out of one of the lockers in the men's locker room. Does management really not keep tabs on that? Yikes.

I was there on Monday, while I was taking a shower, a lady at the locker room, STOLE my swim hat and goggle. Your item, should be hanging out while you're at the shower. It's NOT a safe. Those who come here for the pool, esp ladies, please be careful.those who stole my hat & goggle, please return to the front immediately. Describe what was stolen, 1/15th(mon) Martin Luther kind day. My hat color: dark blue My goggle: red x light blue mixed design (light blue is more) Once I find these items, I'll remove this. Till then if you find it please contact me asap.

I highly recommend Chelsea Recreation. For people over 62 , it only costs$25 a year for all gym classes, aqua aerobics, lap and open pool, exercise equipment, art, dance, basketball, crochet, and computer classes. it's free for under 24 year olds. Great teachers and lovely office staff. very welcoming, sunlit and cheery and comfortable space. one of the best city services offered!

This pool would be great for lap swimming--the size is better than most indoor city pools, but it is kept much too hot for lap swimming. The pool was over 75 degrees today, and other lap swimmers confirmed this was normal, and a major fault of the pool. The rec center prioritizes seniors who also use the pool and prefer warmer water.

Out of all the recreation centers in the city, I would say this one is within top three. They have a large swimming pool that is good for doing laps and exercise, however, they don't have that much free swim time so make sure you check their schedule before you go. Before 6 PM every weekday, they have basketball for kids under 18 and after 7 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays, they have volleyball for adults ages 18 and up. The locker rooms in this place are pretty small. There is two of them, on the first floor and on the third floor. The third-floor one is even smaller, but the first floor one is really useful to people going to the pool. On top of the gym and the swimming pool, they have two table tennis table and two pool tables. They also do lifeguard testing so if you want to get your license you can speak to them there. My complaint is that for all the years I've been going so far, they've never fixed the hand dryer in the bathrooms, nor do they have paper towels. The soap also is rarely ever filled. The toilet always splash water back up at you and the showers will make the whole area flood.

Living in the city on the biggest budget is lot easier than people think, especially with great places like the Chelsea Recreation Center. The City's funding for recreation centers span all around the 5 boroughs, but none are as nice, spacious, or as new (2005) as this particular location. As what I dub the best of all locations, this 30 million dollar project features 6 floors, clean interior, friendly staff, and updated equipment. Floor 1A: Recreation - Want to show the kids coming here after school who's boss on the pool table? Show your stuff in billiards, table tennis, foosball (broken table at times), and even board games like chess and checkers. Floor 1B/2A: The Swimming Pool - The olympic sized pool is complete with a scoreboard, six lanes, and a seating area for those watching from above. It makes for a very surreal experience and can probably be utilized for hosting local competitions. Floor 2B: All Purpose Rooms - Classes that are held in this building are generally done here. They offer various types of classes per season ranging from Tai Chi to Kick Boxing to Aerobics, etc. Floor 3: Cardio Room - There is a 30 minute limit per machine and probably about 15-20 machines to choose from with elyptical machines, treadmills, and biking machines to choose from. Floor 4: Weight Room: This room is small and often crowded with people during all hours of the day. There are several machines and a small area for free weights. It can be a little annoying here as there is a wait time for people who are using a particular machine. Plus, not everyone "cleans" after using each one. Floor 5: Gym - How they managed to fit this thing up here is incredible as it looks like a full fleged gym complete with 6 basketball hoops and a net for volleyball or badminton nights. Usually full of high school kids who are playing a pick up game in basketball Floor 6: Kids Room - Perfect for the adult commuting here with their kids, this is almost a little daycare where they can learn on the computers or perfect their origami in arts and crafts. Possibly the cutest floor of the entire building. The prices are outstanding, only $50 per YEAR or $75 with the use of the swimming pool. It stands to be the cheapest gym membership in NY, as there is no better deal. It must be paid through the use of a credit card however, so there is no checks or cash accepted. It'll probably keep the place from getting too run down if they accepted all forms of payment. Plus, the membership is good for any other NY recreation center. Not all is great though, as this place is located in a section that is a real pain to commute to sometimes. Its located on 25th between 9th and 10th which is a bit out there for those of us who don't live near by. There is neither towel service nor locks provided for the lockers. Speaking of which, the locker rooms are a bit on the small side for such a large place. It can get very crowded in a hurry and some times the men's locker room smells like feet, which is not always pleasant. Beyond the locker rooms, the weight and cardio rooms can get so busy that I found myself spending more time standing around and waiting than I did actually working out. The hours are not so friendly as this place is closed at 9:30PM and open for limited hours on the weekend (Sat till 4:00PM). In spite of all of this, the price is too good to ignore and this is truly a deal for those who are looking to save money while staying active.

A great deal - only $150 per year- but facilities are very poorly maintained. Very rare and I'm always surprised when there is paper towel or cleaner or wipes in the cardio room. The equipment is in poor shape and often certain functions on the machines do not work. Infrastructure in general is extremely beat up and damaged. Locker rooms very poorly laid out. Doors to bathroom stalls do not lock. Bathroom drains are always clogged. There has never been any soap in the soap dispensers in the showers. Sometimes the elevator does not work and when it does, it is extremely slow. The upstairs spinning/circuit training room is in somewhat better shape. WiFi has never worked for me - not even once. They do offer two machines that I had not seen before - called Gazelles, I believe. They have two ping pong tables and two pool tables which seem to be almost always occupied. But I have noted several damaged pool cues and ping pong paddles. I have not taken the classes offered yet. When I joined, I was shown two classrooms, side by side - but the one now always seems to be full of conference room furniture and other paraphernalia. Mats and weights are in poor shape, I recommend bringing your own mats. I've never used the pool, so I can't comment on that either, other than to say that it seems popular. I'm afraid to drink from the water fountains because the water tastes like bad pipes and the fountains aren't very clean. I try to always bring my own water and wipes. I inquired about a computer class and expressed interest to the facilitator, put my name on a list, but I never heard anything more about it from the guy who runs the computer lab. And for some strange reason they apparently do not allow you to enter the facility without a lock - I'm not sure what the reason is for that - I finally asked after being queried at the front desk on several occasions "do you have a lock?." Seems strange and probably discriminatory in some way, although I can't put my finger on why. (By the way, I always come with my lock - but it seems that if I want to tempt the fates and leave my belongings unsecured, that should be up to me. Of course I don't want to, so...) The locker room convenient to the pool gets crowded and smells strongly of chlorine, so if that bothers you, take note. This facility seems to be something of a daytime respite for the homeless/fringe elements of society - and there have been some issues with people bringing very large suitcases in with them - but management recently cracked down on this, instituting (or enforcing?) a rule that your belongings must be able to fit into a locker, and I haven't noticed that happening since. Staff can be very pleasant - but certain staff members are occasionally crusty/cold.

The people that run the lifeguard school are rude and unprofessional. Very difficult to deal with

I haven't been a NYC Parks & Rec member for very long. After considering several gyms and touring a couple of the NYC facilities I eagerly signed up. The Chelsea Recreation Center is the fourth facility I've been to. Sure, at the last one, the lights were dim, the soap was low, the shower rods and lockers were a bit rusty on the edges - but for $75 for 6 months and a lovely pool I was more than pleased with my decision. The Chelsea Recreation Center did not live up to the standards the other facilities set. My initial impression of it was positive - a large, modern, bright building, friendly, helpful staff, a clean lobby and a large cheerily decorated pool. Those happy thoughts ended as soon as I hit the locker room, where I found a layer - yes a LAYER - of hair on every inch of the floor, no toilet paper, no soap in any of the showers, shower curtains on SOME of the showers - the curtains were all heavily mildewed and hanging on by only a few hooks - and women hacking and spitting in the showers IN SPITE OF ACTUAL SIGNS EXPLICITLY ASKING THEM NOT TO. It got worse in the pool area. No hooks for towels, so we had to put ours down on a (but of course) hair-covered bench. My friend had the great good fortune to wear a brand new pair of fancy goggles, so once we got in the pool she was able to report on the filthy state of the pool floor: first it was dirt; then it was mildew. When she started seeing small piles of a soft brown substance we prayed that it was only mud and got the hell out of there (never mind the fact there isn't a lot of mud in that particular area of Chelsea - just let me delude myself, ok?). As an added treat, on our way out, there was a woman with a shopping cart going through all the lockers. I don't know what the problem is with this place but I am obviously not going back. EVER. Now please excuse while I go scrub myself in a gallon of bleach.

Had an amazing time at the Chelsea Recreation Center participating in the Shape Up NYC Silent Disco Event. Deputy Borough Chief Roberto Barreto and his crew are very professional and Mega nice people. The environment at the location is very welcoming, super clean and organized. Can't wait to go back!

I swim here almost every day. The pool is well kept and the life guards are friendly. The locker rooms are a disaster. If I had a million dollars, I would donate that money to get them to deck out the locker rooms. At it's present state, its a crap shoot and a half. It's not even about cleanliness, things are rusty and the floors are falling part. It's a 5 star place because there is a deep sense of community there. People have picked up an idol mop and mopped the wet floors in between crew cleanings. During the Am rush ladies will share the shower with someone else. The seniors that swim in the morning are lively and in their element. Everyone that works there is nice and I feel safe in this space.

My favorite pool in New York City! I've been to pools in more expensive gyms, like Chelsea Piers, 92 Street Y, Chinatown YMCA and Manhattan Plaza. But this one often has the cleanest water! I can overlook the duct tape in the bathroom at the bottom of the walls, broken lockers and dirty wet floors because the pool is clean clean clean! Plus, lifeguards Bishop and Jose are super attentive and nice. If you stop mid lap and start coughing, they will come over to you and ask you if you're ok. Your fellow swimmers are friendly and nice as well. You can't beat $150 a year! It used to be $75 a year before Bloomberg decided to raise the rates in order to compete with the rest of the gyms :-(doesn't really make much sense, since it's not a private agency). And...bonus! if you're younger than 24 or older than 62, it costs only $25 a year for you!

My favorite indoor recreational pool in Manhattan! The facility is kept pretty clean and orderly. I often used the pool as I was on a swimming team that practiced there. The locker rooms are pretty spacious and they have a fan in there to keep the floors dry and keep the temperature balanced. The pool is kept clean and cool. The diving boards are on point and the lifeguards there are pretty down to earth. The staff in this facility are pretty nice in general, haven't encountered a nasty or grumpy staff member in the years that I've visited this center. Definitely would recommend coming here if you're ever in the area and want to keep your body fit or to just have some fun with or without friends.

Not the best rec center in terms of how old this place looks etc, but I do enjoy coming here for their free classes (go shape up NYC)! I've tried out some cardio, dance, and pilates and had fun. The class sizes were pretty full but not too bad. There's also always been plenty of lockers to store your stuff-as always, bring a lock and bring ID to give to the front if you're not a member.

i had call today asking if the basketball courts where open they said yes i came over same day the security guard was been so disrespectful and unprofessional she didn't know how to talk to me and my friend the right way even assuming about our age.

Very clean. Excellent water aerobics by instructor Mr. Brown. He really push you to get a workout and watch out to see if you are doing the workout right. I enjoy going to his class. Problem with me us I travel from Williamsburg because the metropolitan pool don't have allot of aerobic classes Mon thru Wednesday.

Chelsea Recreation Center $75/year or $37.5/6 months - access all NY Parks & Recreation Centers (recommended) *Remember to bring a medium or full-sized towel and strong key lock. Also, chalk is allowed, but be sure to clean up after yourself. $75/year or $37.5/6 months - includes access to all recreation centers including ones with pools. Poor Ventilation in the weight room and cardio room. 6-lane 25 yard indoor pool HS Size BB Court also used for volley ball 9 treadmills 2 ellipticals 2 spinners 2 upright bikes 5 recumbent bikes 5 steppers Flat, Incline and Decline Benches w/ Olympic Barbells each Preacher curl station w/ preacher bar 3 x Adjustable Benches Smith Machine Horizontal Seated Leg Press (plate loaded) Dumbells 8,10-100 lbs in 5 lb increments, one 50 lb & 80 lb db are missing/broken/stolen Barbell Plates: 16x45, 8x35, 16x25, 10x10, 16x5,10x5,10x2.5 Sit-up Bench w/o foot brace/support Captain's Chair Hyperextension Selectorized: Leg curl Leg Extension Chest Press Shoulder Press Pec Deck/Rear Delt combo Assisted dip/chin Cable pushdown Lat pulldown Adjustable cable column Low row Narrow dual cable column station Powerlifters see Brownsville for three 9 foot closed power racks! Or Thomas Jefferson for two open power racks. Or Asser Levy for one power rack (not recommended for +500 lb. lifts). Olympic Lifters see Lost Battalion Hall for a dedicated instruction and training facilities (additional fee required).

What to say about the Chelsea Rec Center. First, let me preface this by saying I go there pretty much exclusively after work, usually getting there between 5:30 and 6:00. The Pros: 1. It is dirt cheap. It's $75 for a year (that's a whopping $6.25 per month) for access to any city rec center (it's less if you decide you don't need to use the pool). It could be five times as expensive and still be less than anywhere else I could find. 2. It has a lot of stuff crammed into it, including a pool, basketball courts, weight room, pool tables, a cardio room and classes. 3. It is fairly well maintained. Not top of the line stuff, but you don't feel like you're working out in the gym from Rocky. 4. It's clean, mostly. The Cons: 1. The cardio room is kind of small and very warm/humid. There aren't a lot of machines, and the bikes are set up so you can only ride 18-26 minutes at a time (depending on which bike you are on) without restarting. 2. Definitely a no-frills gym. While the equipment is nice, it isn't top of the line. No fancy TV's or fans on the exercise bikes. No store where you can buy gear or food. No towel service. Might not bother some people, but definitely something to consider if you're used to a more expensive gym. 3. The locker rooms can get very crowded. I've had instances where there are no lockers available, and you are not allowed to work out if you don't put your belongings in a locker (they will ask you to do so, or leave). 4. No one under 16 is supposed to be there after 6:00, which means from about 5:30 to 6:15, the locker rooms and lobby are generally filled with 16 year old boys who just got done playing basketball or working out. As you can imagine, they generally behave like 16 year old boys who have no adult supervision. It can be really annoying to have to push your way to your locker because four kids are all milling about waiting for their friend to finish changing. 5. Not the most convenient hours. 6. This is an edit. Now that it's warm enough to run and bike outside, the only reason I come to Chelsea Rec Center is for the pool. This is unfortunate because the pool is far too crowded. Expect 5-6 people per lane. People there swim at two speeds: Used-to-be-on-the-swim-team-and-now-I'm-too-cheap-to-pursue-my-sport-at-a-better-pool and old-lady-doing-the-backstroke-in-the-medium-speed-lane. If you're not in one of those two groups of people, expect to be frustrated. Overall, you get what you pay for. This place is the cheapest option around, and it many ways it shows. But if the location is convenient to you, you don't require a lot of extras, you don't need to swim and price is a factor, give it a shot. They have six month memberships which are about $37.50 I think. Get one and try it for a month. Even if you don't like it, it's still less than you'd pay for a month anywhere else. And if you do like it, you have five more months on your membership. Oops, I shouldn't have said that. Now it will be even more crowded.

$399 a year at Ludlow (payable in advance, of course), $960 at NYSC, and somewhere around eleventy billion at Equinox recently drove me to explore some alternative gym options in Manhattan. Enter: the Chelsea Rec Center. $75 / year, or $37.50 if you only want to commit for 6 months. (I should note that my wife and I spent slightly more than this last month on Tasty D.) Nice gyms have their place, I'll grant you, but if you're serious about being in shape, enjoy feeling a little Rocky-core, need a variety of physical activities to keep you moving, and don't need to be pampered, there is no choice in Manhattan other than this one. Swimming pool, basketball courts, weights, cardio, ping pong, and a killer staff of friendly, down-to-earth, real people working the joint - it just doesn't get any better. Oh wait, it does - you have access to rec centers all across the 5 boroughs, which include everything from racquet courts to boxing rings. Unless the creature comforts are your bag at the gym, you'd be crazy not to at least give one of the city's offerings to you a shot. It'll set you back about the cost of three drinks plus tip this weekend. Just do it. --js

The NYC Parks Department maintains a bunch of recreation centers in the city that are often refered to as City Gyms. These include Community Centers, Field Houses, and Nature Centers and offer services such as indoor pools, weight rooms, basketball courts, dance studios, boxing rings, art studios, game rooms and libraries. The Chelsea Rec Center is one of the best in the city, according to my friends, and certainly the best of the few I've seen. Hansborough comes a close second. It's just an avenue block and a half from the 23rd st. C/E station, thus making it incredibly accessible. This center is really big - 6 floors - and has anything a person looking for a gym would want. A big pool for doing laps, a weight room with free weights and at least 10 machines, a cardio room with state-of-the-art treadmills, elipticals, and bikes, and aerobics rooms for classes or stretching. The bathroom/locker rooms are nice. Most of the time I don't like to shower in the rec centers but this place is well-kept and clean; useable if I ever *really* need a shower after working out. There are a lot of community activities that go on here and some areas are likely to have kids in them after school, on weekends, and in the summer. I doubt that this'll be a problem in the weight or cardio rooms, but check the pool schedule. The best thing is the price. $50/year for most centers, $75/year for ones with a pool. If you get a membership to one, you can visit ANY rec center in the system in any of the 5 boroughs. The Chelsea center is very popular and sometimes has lines for registration. I suggest going to one of the other centers and registering there (just make sure you get the $75 membership so you can access centers with pools). If you're looking for a place to work out and have basic needs, then a City Gym is a good choice. This center in particular since it rivals most basic gyms (like NYSC) at a fraction of the price.

This is a full-service gym for $75 a year in a neighborhood where my buddy pays $150 a month at his gym. I made him visit the Rec Center to show him he could save $1,725 a year. He said he didn't like it coz it doesn't have a rock climbing wall. I told him that for $1,725 I'll buy him his own goddamn rock climbing wall. The world is going backwards.

The previous reviews are very thorough, but here's my two cents. I can work out for 5 bucks a month in New York City. That's crazy! I joined a year ago, and I'm 30 pounds lighter, about 60% hotter (with some new pecs, quads and biceps) and 3 waist sizes lower. My favorite aspect of the NYC Park rec centers is that nobody gives a shit that you're there. Nobody's checking out your outfit, cruising you in the shower, or judging you. It's bare bones, low pressure exercise. If I suddenly got a free membership to Crunch or NY Athletic Club or any of the other big names, I wouldn't go. I love the absence of gym culture in these centers. I work out at lunch in the small weight room. Lunchtime isn't too crowded; after work is. Rarely do I have to wait too long for a machine at lunch, although sometimes a deadbeat will lounge on the chest press. The cardio room is always crowded. If I get there at 12, I'll get one of 8 treadmills. There's regrettably only one elliptical. The locker room is cramped and the men's shower is in full view of people changing. I've showered quickly a few times and it was alright. They should at least put a curtain over the shower. There are definitely drawbacks to the rec centers, and I imagine if you're used to working out at a larger gym, these places must seem downright oppressive. But for a salary-challenged, bashful 37-year-old, these places are perfect. The rec centers, especially the Chelsea and Red Hook locations, helped to add years to my life and made me feel like a stud.

If you can handle scary looking older guys watching you change, then this is your gym. I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices of Crunch or NYSC, and by "refuse" I mean "cannot afford." Whatever! Anywho, NYC Rec. Centers are a fantastic alternative. For $75 a year you get access to all the Rec. Centers in the city (many have lap pools). The equipment is fine, it's clean and less showy then the corporate gyms. You're there to work out, not catch up on the news.

I swim at 7am, 5 days a week here, or did. Many of the particular people there to swim, are extremely loud, blow their noses into the sink and showers, leave dirty newspapers at the bottom of their lockers...All of these things are not occasional, it is just what goes on there normally. I swear! They do this in front of the Matron, who tries to stop them, but I have seen women completely ignore her. also these people spit into the drains, just under the water line along the sides of the pool and they spit up onto the deck. they leave clumps of hair everywhere, empty little shampoo bottles, toothbrushes, etc, all over the place, there is gum on the floor and there is constant shouting conversation back and forth in the, very, very, small, locker room. Now this is just about the women, i do not know how the men behave in the locker room, but the men are very rude and spitty in the pool. To put it nicely, it is like getting dressed in a room of feral children. My apologies to feral children. If you go to this gym/pool and you become deaf and become positive for Hep-c or something, remember I warned you. I have picked out a different pool to go to because i just could not stand how disgusting the particular people there behave and I am not even a squeamish person. The facility itself is very nice.

The Chelsea Rec Center is one of 4 I have visited, and it's second best. Here's the scoop: Pros: -cheap, $75/6 mo. membership gets you access to any center in NYC -open long hours -bright, modern lobby -does not require that you bring a towel to work out -location offers swimming, pool, ping-pong, basketball, classes, cardio and weight room -cardio machines are always available, hardly ever over-crowded -diverse patronage who mind their own business Cons: -disgusting locker room i.e.large clumps of hair on floor, bandaids stuck inside lockers, and all hand dryers are broken -old, worn out equipment and frequently breaks and is out of order -inconvenient location, on 25th btwn 9th/10th

Outrageously expensive company gym "benefits" led me to this rec center. I'm low maintenance when it comes to working out. I just use this gym for cardio, and it does the trick. I should preface this by saying that I usually go to the gym during lunch when it isn't very crowded. That said, there's only one functioning elliptical in the cardio room, but a lot of bikes and treadmills. I, like most other reviewers, find the crowd to be just a bunch of people who want to get/stay in shape. I like this. One of the best things about this rec center is that they have free aerobics classes. They also have yoga, but you have to pay $55 for nine classes. That's one-third of what I usually pay for yoga at a regular studio. If you don't need a lot of perks, there's no way you can go wrong with a one-year $75 membership.

Not the best place to workout in cause most of the stuff is so run down but heck, I'm a young adult paying $25 a year for access to 35+ city gyms. There's no way I should be complaining for this price. Chelsea Rec Center is one of the better gyms out of them all. I usually just spend my time swimming or lifting weights. Once in a while I'd come and play basketball or try out the cardio room. Now, just to let you know, the weight room is totally NO FRILLS. A lot of the equipment is really old. It's not fancy and new like what you'd see at $1000+ a year gyms but all the equipment does its job. The swimming pool isn't as amazing as the one in Brooklyn's sunset park, but if you're there to lap swim/free swim, You'll be fine with this pool. The basketball gym is pretty big for it's size. You can bring your own ball or borrow one of the center's. I really enjoy how they have 2 full size pool tables here and 3 ping pong tables. Not many recreation centers have pool and it's nice to see that they offer it here. I played 2 or 3 games of pool after my gym session. The environment and people are pretty nice for the most part. You have a few youngsters who are totally annoying as heck but just walk away from them and you'll be fine. For the young adult price of $25 I really can't be disappointed.

For one of the several pool facilities in the New York public system that one can access for a pittance of $75 PER YEAR, this 25-yard (75 ft. - 70.4 laps = 1 mile), the pool at the Chelsea Recreation Center is wonderful. Yes, folks, it IS a public pool, so the facilities are not olympic in size or luxurious in decoration, and you still have to swim circle laps in one lane with like seven people. And no, you cannot rent out a locker, though you can bring your own lock and use any one of the lockers while you swim. However, it is going to far to call this place "ghetto" or a "dump." This place has an extremely friendly staff (they can set up membership for you, card and all, in 10 minutes flat). More important, the facilities are clean (enough), and the patrons seem to be composed mostly of smiling locals and loud Chinese women (who anyway can be found at ANY public pool; I am sorry if this sounds racist or nationalistic, but it is a plain fact in my experience) who want a humanely priced place to work out. One thing I will say is that I'm not a terribly fast swimmer, but I pass people in this pool's fast lane! Either I'm getting ever-faster (doubt it), or the swimmers here are mellow, and also tend to float into whichever lane has the fewest people...regardless of speed. My suggestion for this is to look twice before passing; I just had a collision today. ;) All in all, though, I thank goodness for this pool, which is conveniently located a couple of dog poo stained, tree-shaded, residental blocks from the 25th and 8th exit of the 23rd stop of the C and E (blue) subway lines.

The best pool I have found! Yes, it is chlorine, but at $150/year I will never complain about it. The locker rooms are clean-enough (consistently maintained by the attendant-who always has a smile and a "good morning" for you), and the lifeguards are very pleasant. Very easy to register at CRC, and a quick barcode scan to enter. My favorite part(s): the lines are designated so I am not stuck swimming behind someone enjoying a casual swim. Also, there is a bathing suit drier in the locker room, big big bonus! My least favorite part: Sometimes there are those people who think the lane belongs to them, and because they are doing a sprint you should get out of the way, despite the fact that this interferes with your workout. Very rude. There is proper pool etiquette and an easy way to pass people, I have done this myself without any complaints from the people I pass-FYI it is not by grabbing the toes of the person in front of you so that they stop, or push people to the side every time you pass them (personally, I swim so close to the border that my hand or foot often brushes it, specifically so that people can pass if they need to). One recommendation to the facility: The water pressure is very strong (and there is always hot water), but many of the shower heads are due to be replaced (one of the stalls doesn't even have one). Simple $7 ones would definitely do the trick. Some of the shower heads, as they are now, are quite painful as the spray is concentrated.

Is one of the most biggest center in the city the place is nice I love the place but the staff is really rude and need to be educated better on treating people other then that it's a great place to work out and other sports and activities is not a bad place!

The amazing.. price The not so amazing ... stinky For 75$ a year for a gym and olympic sized swimming pool this place is the best thing that ever happened in my life. There is no way I could afford a gym in manhattan let alone in the trendy Chelsea. Along came Chelsea Rec. Yes the pool is crowded at 6pm - its a pool, at 6pm, its going to be crowded. I'd rather pay 75 a year for a crowded pool than 75 a month for a crowded pool. There isn't the normal stank eye from other people. Often, when you go to the gym people are looking you up and down judging/admiring/whatever. Here, people come to workout and leave. The locker rooms are kinda stinky but I went to college and had group showers. It's very similar to this and it is stinky. Would I rather pay more to have the locker rooms smell better - probably not. I go in, I change, I lock my stuff and I leave. If you are going there to hang out then the smell will annoy you. I've been to different gyms and worked at gyms. They all smell, they all get crowded after work and the locker rooms all stink. I haven't used the ping pong tables, pool tables or basketball courts as those are my thangs. yes, I said thangs.

After reading reviews here I went there with that Rocky song playing in my head and it plays every time I go hehe Anyway, I joined just a week ago and the place is what it is: a place to work out and a cheap one at that. This is just the right combination for those who are not going to the gym for a date or a scene AND don't want to/can't spend much. Though I did run into some of those girls who wear push up bras to the gym, most of the people are interested in getting in shape. The location is not the most convenient (between 9th and 10th) but it's close enough to the M23. The hours are ok but the center's closed on Sundays. The locker rooms remind me of my high school's and you have to bring your own everything (soap, towels etc.) but it's part of the fun! In comparison to the gym I wanted to join and tried out, Chelsea Piers, Chelsea Rec is 97% cheaper based on yearly fees and I have not had to deal with any A-holes in my first week. UPDATE: after going here for a couple weeks I took off a star because the lockers never have toilet paper, it does feel like a high school locker room and kids have run wild all over the place without any supervision. I must say it's starting to feel a bit ghetto. Also, the pool has a ridiculous schedule that has no room for those of us who can't swim laps. I went to the E 54th St. Rec center and it was MUCH better locker room-wise and the pool schedule is a little better. The staff there gets 1 star though.

Solid facility. I mainly use the pool and free weights. The pool is nice. If you are a fast swimmer it can get chaotic having to swim over, under and around people. But honestly the fast lane is a good pace and people there focused on getting their sets in. The free weight area is a no shats giving type of gym. No television or music. If you want to watch tv go home. This is a real gym.

This is one of the best deals you can find in NYC, seriously. For the price I pay, this spot is amazing and pretty well kept for a nycgov park center. You also get access to the rest of the rec centers around the city. Don't go expecting equinox or nyhrc. I'm only speaking for the swimming pool: A pool this size is really rare in the city. I only know of 2 other pools that have more than 3 lanes, but none are as good of a price as this one. I go here for my morning swim, then go straight to work; no lounging around. During lap swim times the pool is separated into 6 lanes, 2 for each slow/med/fast - it's pretty straightforward and everyone tends to follow the rules. It's also adults only and they seem to be pretty strict about it (I wish my pro sister could join me). During open swim it gets crowded and you're just left floating around. But great if you're a newbie and want to test the waters. *Remember to always check the schedule online!* Locker rooms aren't spectacular but you got all you need. Just wear flip flops at all times, don't really sit anywhere (without pants on) and you'll be fine. There's a good amount of shower stalls so you never need to wait for someone to finish. I advise to be careful about your locks, theres been cases where they've been left open and valuables are snatched away - especially toward the evenings but I rarely go during those times.

I like what this facility offers for just about anyone in New York who doesn't require "fancy". There is a great mix of people who benefit from a great variety of offerings here; it's about exercise, fitness, recreation and also includes respect - valuable to have in the city. Considering the number of people and the great need for places like this, I appreciate how the staff here makes it all work pretty well (must be a challenge, and they keep it running smoothly.) I live nearby but can see why people from all over the city would come to appreciate this place. Best advice - check your attitude at the door, offer respect and you'll enjoy this place.

As everyone has said before, the price is great. It is the best deal in town for a good basic workout. I don't mind the fact that the weight room doesn't have the most updated equipment or that it can get crowded during peak hours...i mean, c'mon, it's a city gym that costs 75 a year! And it does have a nice swimming pool. However, what I do mind, is that NOTHING gets fixed!!!! The cables have been broken for like 5 or 6 months, other machines have broken down and, also never get fixed. In addition, I guess the people who frequent the gym sometimes steal the bars and handles, so you now have to sign out certain equipment, which is just irritating. So, all in all, good deal for a relatively no-frills workout, but with some general issues regarding repairs of equipment. Oh, tip, if you come at around 7:30 in the morning, the fitness room is pretty empty.

I have been going to this center for around 2 years now and I feel nothing but malice every time I come in, I don't feel welcomed here. I'm 20 years old and I live in Staten Island. I come here usually around 3-4 times per month to simply use the dance room to practice my routine. My friends come from all different places like New Jersey, Brooklyn, Westchester County, etc. just to take time out of their busy schedules, due to college and work, just to come here and practice with me as we are a performance group. My friends and I really make sure to follow the rules and be respectful but there are far way too many instances where staff members have yelled and harassed us. I'm not proud of saying this as I'm ashamed that I suffer from General Anxiety Disorder. While that may not seem relevant, my main purpose of going to recreation centers is to practice my routine with my friends so I can try to overcome my anxiety in general by dancing to something I like and become healthier in general from exercising. I feel like I am grouped with the rest of the teenagers there that are rude as I've seen so many of them scream profanities, cause havoc, and flat out ruin the atmosphere - it makes my group and I look bad. It feels like I'm wasting my time traveling here and paying a membership just to get yelled at, which I don't appreciate. I'm going to provide some examples and I apologize for the length but there are way too many things that have happened that can't be left unnoticed. First, just yesterday, my friends forgot their lock so we placed our stuff to the side of the dance room simply just making sure that it's not in the way of anyone using the room. Instead of having the staff member politely informing us to lock them up, he yelled at us with a very condescending tone. We move up another floor and then try using the treadmills and elliptical machines. I had my friend move to the side to hold on to the coats and 1 bag. Behind us, there are a big group of teenagers (and excuse my language) making sex moans, screaming about dicks, fooling around on the machines, and being loud in general. A couple of them were tampering with the speed of the treadmill to the highest speed and started yelling again like a buffoon. As annoyed as we were, we tried to pay no mind to this and continue with our cardio. The same staff member comes in sweeping the floor, yells at us again, saying that my friend can't wear jeans and boots while on the machines and that we have to clean the machines before/after each use. There were no signs of this in the room about this at all and while yes, we completely understand these things and are willing to abide by them, he again did not have to be condescending and rude. Also there were teenagers in the room using the equipment and they have jeans on as well but it seemed like he focused his general anger at us. I feel stupid that I cried about this and he said I was "acting hysterical". I don't get why he is taking out his frustrations out on us. We tried confronting the staff member about the situation to clear up things but instead of talking it out civilly and rationally, he yelled at us again saying "you can't tell me how to do my job!". Instead of being an adult and talking it out, he angrily walked out on us and one of the security guards came up to us and asked about the situation. We explained about what happened to her and thank goodness she was very respectful and very polite. Another time, one of my friends who is 17 years old came into the building before 2:00 PM. He is a senior so he gets out of school at 12:50 PM. There was this new rule that came out of no where that those that are under 18 are not allowed to enter until 2:00 PM. While I understand this rule I need reasons, my friend was willing to provide his school schedule as proof that he isn't skipping school. They would not accept that so I simply asked if they have documented proof of this new rule. They did not provide any written out rule of this so I called 311. I asked them if there is documented proof of this rule - either on paper or online, and the representative said it was not in their records so I filed a complaint. This did not happen once but actually happened twice at another recreation center: Gertrude, during summer VACATION. Since there is a character limit, I can't give a proper full review. Those are just 2 out of 10+ examples I have experienced with when dealing with not just this center but also dealing with Getrude as well. I wish I can explain everything but overall the center is alright but the nasty and illogical staff members are what makes this center terrible. I feel like if you are running a recreation center, you're dealing with different people that are using it for different reasons. This means that they should handle things with a professional and positive attitude. I don't know where else we can go to now since I had the last straw but we are going to find other options.

Just be warned that if you come to this branch to use the pool, (which is why most people would pick this over equally cheap but more convenient Planet Fitness) you won't be allowed to use any flotation devices without a note from a doctor...seriously. No kickboards or leg buoys for beginning swimmers, no aqua joggers, no hand or feet fins, not even water wings for kids. It's a little silly. So unless you are a seasoned swimmer only looking to do laps unaided, I would pick a different Recreation Center.

After reading other reviews, I find it strange that no one decided to mention the fact that the projects are right across the street from this place. I went there last week for the first time and couldnt help but notice that suddenly I felt like I was in Bed-Stuy. I wouldnt want to walk out of here alone at night. Once you get to 8th avenue, its OK. Besides the lack of safety outside, inside is not bad at all. The pool is big but not olympic sized. You have to wear a swim cap (ugly). I am going there only to swim so I just wish they had more general swim hours. I signed up for the 6 month membership so I will try to get as much use out of it as I can. I work in Midtown so this is not the easiest commute but the price makes it easier.

If you have back pain, skip the doctors and the horrible side effects of medication, and go to aquatic aerobics classes Chris gives a fantastic aquatic aerobics class. He's quick and he's fun and he's funny. And really passionate about what he does. He's always looking for feedback and giving feedback. The sign of a truly gifted teacher. Sometimes his class feels like boot camp and he works every part of your body. If you were in pain before the class you come out feeling like a new person and you have also strengthened all the muscles in your body to prevent pain in the future. After the class you can join a game of beach ball in the pool with some of the regulars. The class is a bit packed in the summer weather, but there is room for everyone.

What I like about the Chelsea Recreation Center is that it is open early on weekends. So, people like me who want to work out in the morning would have an opportunity to do so. I like to do cardio, so the cardio room is the first thing I go to. The one thing that was a total turn off was that they did not have wipes to clean the machine that your using. So, when I run and I need to hold on to the machine, I'm touching other people's sweat and germs. So gross! I mean for the $25 annual fee for people up to the age of 24, I really can't complaint. Besides, it is a better looking gym in the city. AC is always on, so you can work out in comfort. Plus, I usually can find parking around the area on the weekends.

Great place and resource for activities for kids. Street hockey, swimming, exercise, etc. The best part is children up to 18 years old can utilize all Parks Department locations for FREE. Adults are only $150 for the year. Again, there are a lot of activities that are available for all ages. The only negative is that the locker room is outdated. From my understanding, there is a scheduled update this year.

I love this place. I come here to train int he aerobics rooms now and then, and havent even begun exploring everything offered. Lots of pool and ping pong, huge olympic pool, 2 different large aerobics rooms, cardio room, basket ball courts, convenient locker rooms, and its all for a whopping $80 a year! Everything is very clean in this facility, even the men's locker room. Ive quit all my monthly gym memberships and just use the various NYC rec centers now, of which I can say the Chelsea location is the best one (that Ive used).

I joined the Chelsea Recreation Center because it's in my old neighborhood and the price was great ($40/6 months). I used to attend the exercise classes on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. I was getting married this summer so I wasn't able to attend the classes while working on the plans for our marriage. I missed a couple of months to find out recently that they discontinued the Saturday classes. I checked online and they don't offer as many classes as they used to. Ugh! The person that I spoke to at the front desk via phone didn't know why they were cancelled or if they would be rescheduled. If they hadn't cancelled the Saturday classes, I would've renewed my membership for another 6 months. *shrug* Glad that my membership is about to expire. Now, I'm in the process of finding a new affordable gym in the area that offers some classes and work with my schedule. :\ I gave it a 3-star rating because it is cleaner than most would assume from some of the other reviews posted below. All of the lockers work and they have clean showers. It is also conveniently located to the C/E/1 trains. Note - Yes, the projects are right across the street but it's not a dangerous area. SMH

I ONLY enjoy going here mornings, but not so much at nights. There was an occasion where a young guy peaked into the locker run -- very upsetting, not to add I always hear guys whispering right outside the locker room in attempt to come in it seems. GROSS. So I have managed to strictly pass by in the mornings. I also didn't realize the swimming lessons were only through lottery, so the location has become my second option solely for workouts which wasn't really what I joined it for in the first place.

The best swimming pool in Manhattan!! With unbeatable lowest price and size!! It's about $12 for month including every faculty location and class accessible throughout the city!! I know that people has each opinion, and different criteria. But let's focus to "swimming pool itself" and price. The pool size is 25yard and 6 lanes. It is very rare to find such full size pool in such a location in Manhattan. Schedule hour is sufficient from morning to evening for lap swim, general swim, and children. Water is clean. Not so many people. Sometimes you can swim in your own lane by yourself!! The only downside is locker room and bathroom is little rusty. But overall this facility has enough space with enough equipment compared with other places. No other indoor swimming pool can beat this place with lowest prices and size!! P.S. Since lap swimming schedule was changed, and my schedule doesn't much, so I don't come to swim anymore... but it was nice experience for few month of intensive lap swimming.

The most accurate and lengthy reviews are for some reason found on the "not currently recommended" pages. I have also found this to be true for several doctors I have gone to. Check them out. Most of what yelpers discuss re: the locker room and pool and no toilet paper and broken unrepaired things of all kinds are accurate and have not changed since the reviews. Maintenance and caring about anything and supervision is close to non-existent. The fairly new building was very poorly designed and cheaply and poorly built so locker rooms, toilets, and showers are falling apart about a century before they should have. I just use the pool. Life guards (unlike public pools in for example San Francisco) do nothing about anything until I guess someone is drowning. People going the wrong speed for the lane are ignored. In fact, in the medium speed lane in front of them during lap swim hours someone may stop and talk to the life guard while in the water in the middle of the length of the pool, sometimes even stretching out across the lane and kicking, blocking the whole lane, and for ten or fifteen or more minutes. And the posted "swim cap required" signs are ignored and not enforced, even for people with hair two feet long. Both these types of offenders are most often rec center employees or their families, once even bringing their little kids to adult lap swim times. There are two different sets of rules for the pool. One is on the wall and the other one has been leaning on the wall on top of the bench for eight years. This is indicative to how this place is run. But, there and cheap so I am a long time user.

Yearly Memberships here are... Free for anyone between the ages of 6-17 Adults(18-54)= $75 Seniors(55+)= $10 CHEAP? Yes! Crowded? Also YES! here are some cons: -superrrr crowded.. the pool, weights, treadmills, ping pong, table pool.. ALL crowded! -no towels, no tissues in the bathroom either -small locker room.. half the showers provided don't even have blinds installed as for the pros: -the fact that it is FREE for youths of course.. but if your an adult.. you'll be surrounded with kids and crowded-ness during after school hours and when school is not in section :/ -FREE shape up NYC classes everyday of the week (times vary)