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My Name: Joy Blake
Email: [protected]@humbermail.ca
Client Id# 3143552
Member since February 16, 2018
I attend North York, Ontario Canada YMCA and only attend the facility to use the warm water aquafit as I am recovering from a vehicle accident and that is the only form of exercise I can do. Also, I cannot use the regular/the main pool as the water temperature is so cold it sends my body into shock.
Last Summer due to repair on the main pool I did not have access to the training pool where the aquafit classes are held for a few weeks. The water exercise is the only thing that helps keep my feet swelling down. In addition to the inconvenience of not having access to the warm water pool during renovation, when the pool was active, a lot of patrons along with myself had difficulties staying in the pool while participating in a 45 minutes aquafit classes for the full duration, as the water temperature was too cold in the warm water pool.
I sent a message to your head office in Toronto as no one at the York York branch was able to do anything, find a solution or know who the patrons should speak to about these concerns. I would hear it in the change room and sauna all the time females complaining about the facilities and the lack of concerns from your staff.
I am more frustrated because due to my accident I am not able to work and is on disability benefit which is not enough and rely on my family to give me funds to pay for the YMCA membership. I pay for 3 months in advance each time to motivate myself to leave home as otherwise, my low energy leaves me unmotivated to leave home. So, when I pay in advance and cannot use the facilities because it is closed, then I waste that money.
After my complaint to the Toronto, Canada head office on Yong Street, I was contacted by the North York Bayview /Sheppard manager name Slobodan Stojanovic stating he's the Director of Aquatics and wanted to assist. We met and I shared my concerns along with some of the same concerns affecting other members.
Slobodan then agreed to help make up for me not having access to use the aquafit facilities, he would offer me 2 weeks plus membership. I had some trouble with my car and it took a while for them to diagnose and fix the issue so I was without transport to get to the YMCA. In addition to my car issues, I traveled. I received an email from Slobodan saying that the 2 weeks plus membership was good and he could add it to my account so I could use it in the future.
I renewed my membership and paid for 3 months+ 7 days prorated in advance to start on Sunday, June 9th, 2019. I messaged Slobodan with the email he sent requesting that he can now proceed to add the 2 weeks plus membership promised to my account. This would be a good transition to have access to warm water or hot tub while I transition back into the warm water aquafit pool and its varying temperatures.
Sunday I got to the pool for my first day and the training pool was closed. I drove there wasting my gas without any health benefit. I simply sent a follow-up email to Slobodan reminding him to add the 2 weeks plus to my membership account. Slobodan replied the 2 weeks plus membership would start June 11 to June 25th. I replied trying to confirm further if the 2 weeks plus membership was to start today June 11, what date does that extend my 3 months and 5 days (paid )left from my paid membership to?
He said he would have some person name Katie Lowe call me. She called me and I find her to be uncaring and unsociable. She admitted she did not know the full story behind why I got the 2 weeks plus membership but that the only way it will happen is if I use the 2 weeks plus membership, it would be taken off my regular paid membership. She also said even though she was just hired in February 2019 as Sales Manager, she stated Slobodan had no authority to make such an offer of 2 weeks plus free membership to me.
I find her rude and insulting. Claiming it was simply as a goodwill gesture which I either chose to trade for 2 weeks of my regular membership or not get the 2 weeks plus membership at all. The 2 weeks Slobodan offered was not contingent on me giving up any of my other paid regular membership. She made it seems as though I am just looking for something free and was not entitled to anything.
I feel different as it was membership I already paid for and was not able to use due to your renovation closure that Slobodan was trying to make up for by offering the 2 weeks plus as compensation. I use to hold YMCA in high esteem and used to work in the community before my accident as a Business Advisor. I was also in a community volunteer outreach group that would share with people about places like YMCA and the different services they offer the community.
I advised both Sloban and Katie by email that I will be taking this further and including the media, member of parliament and anyone I can share this with to let people know about the other side of YMCA. In addition, I am a web designer who has a review website in addition to my other sites and will now gladly share my experience on my review site that will, in turn, auto post my reviews to multiple social media platforms across the web, thus allowing me to share my reviews further.
This is unfair and I am tired of having to deal with these confusions and ups and downs with YMCA when all I am trying to do it simply working towards maintaining better health even with my accident injuries. I was planning on being a champion for YMCA and even last night was sharing with two different people about the benefits of YMCA. Now, I will never see your company in the same way again.
Katie Lowe was like a politician that offers her spiel, trying to schmooze people into accepting what she has to say.
She was out of touch with human emotions and only cared to show she was in charge and what she says goes. Why should I be caught up in YMCA politics of your members trying to show up each other as to who is in charge and who can override the other's decisions?
I under nothing is perfect and things happen in the real world so I am not looking for perfection. I am not looking for what I have been getting from YMCA either. When my accident lawsuit is over, I will part ways with YMCA for good.
There so many issues but no one to address them. I also asked your staff on Sunday and ask Katie again today. From last year I wanted to try to attend the gentle Yoga class. The class is for 55 mins to an hour. The aquafit registration form only comes out 20 minutes before the start of an aquafit class. If I arrive an hour before the aquafit class starts the registration form is not yet out for aquafit so I can only either go to yoga or go to aquafit class (one or the other).
You would have to end up spending almost 4 hours at the YMCA to be able to attend yoga, then wait for another almost hour to 3-4 hours depending on the day to be able to sign up to attend aquafit classes after. There is no way of scheduling 2 classes in a day to utilize the day at the YMCA. It just isn't set up that way.
I asked if it was possible that they could put out an aquafit registration form so if I arrive an hour for a yoga class I can then sign up to make it in the second aquafit class as the yoga and aquafit classes usually start within the same time frame if you are at the Y for that time. Again as expected, Katie who is the no person was quick to say it is not possible.
I rather to be contacted via email listed above, since when there are phone conversations there is no accountability and people say things they can then forget or deny or if someone moves on or take over like is my case presently with Kate saying she is Manager above Slobodan and will not honor his promises.
Summary: I was promised 2 weeks plus membership for past inconvenience of not having access to paid services due to main pool closure and me not having access to warm water pool.
I was also promised that if there was issue with accessing the training pool (warm water aquafit pool) and I am not able to access the facilities that if I were to notify Slobodan, he would allow temporary access during those times to plus area so I can continue to have access to warm water/hot tub which helps my body swellings as since my accident warm water pool activities are the only form of exercise my body can withstand.
Your representatives mainly Katie has refused to honour promises made by Slodan before she was hired as Sales Manager.
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Below I have included some of the long email threads exchanged between Slobodan and myself to get to a resolution of me not having access to use the warm water pool. According to Katie none of this will be honoured.
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On Sat, Jun 8, 2019 at 12:32 AM Joy Blake wrote:
Hi Slobodan,
This is Joy Blake a patron of your Bayview Sheppard Ymca. You can read the email threads below to jog your memory. I am in touch with you as you had promised me I'd get my 2 weeks promo back in December but since my vehicle wasn't working and I was traveling and would not be able to use the facilities, I had suspended my membership.
In your email directly below this, you replied "Would you like to keep this for another date in the future? Or you like me to grant two weeks plus membership promotion? Or you like me to grant two weeks plus membership promotion?". I have reactivated my membership so far paying for 3 months+ 7 days prorated in advance and is emailing so you could please add the 2 weeks to my membership. I would prefer the "2 weeks plus membership promotion" to start out with if you could arrange it for me to transition back into my aquafit routine.
I hope that this time around I won't be experiencing the fluctuations in Luke warm to cold water temperatures of the aquafit warm water pool as it was in the past.
I am supposed to be starting Sunday my aquafit June 9th. If possible, If I could start the 2 weeks plus promo before going into my actual full month which starts the 16th, that would be a nice treat.
Looking forward to hearing back from you with confirmation.
Sincerely,
Joy Blake
On Tue, Dec 11, 2018 at 3:30 PM Stojanovic, Slobodan wrote:
Hi Joy,
Just to follow up, I was about to grant the promotion I promise, however, the system is saying that you have a valid membership until May 7 2019. Would you like to keep this for another date in the future? Or you like me to grant two weeks plus membership promotion?
Please let me know
Slobodan Stojanovic
Director Aquatics, Child, Youth and Family programs
YMCA of Greater Toronto
567 Sheppard avenue East
North York, ON M2K1B2
tel:416-225-7773 ext 455
slobodan.stojanovic@ymcagta.org
MISSION: The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity offering opportunities for personal growth,
community involvement and leadership.
VISION: Our communities will be home to the healthiest children, teens and young adults.
VALUES: CARING, HEALTH, HONESTY, INCLUSIVENESS, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY
From: Joy Blake
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 5:30 PM
To: Stojanovic, Slobodan
Subject: Re: Re:
It was a great pleasure meeting you as well. Thank you for your reply and confirming about the two weeks extension for December.
Thanks for contact info. I appreciate your time and efforts.
Kind regards,
J😀y
On Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 3:29 PM Stojanovic, Slobodan wrote:
Ho Joy,
It was great meeting you yesterday. I will work on the long term solution that we discussed in the meeting and will let you know, also I will have December 16th until December 31st promotion ready for you. In the mean time please do not hesitate to contact me at any time either through the email or cell phone (647-829-6555)
best regards
Slobodan Stojanovic
Director Aquatics, Child, Youth and Family programs
YMCA of Greater Toronto
567 Sheppard avenue East
North York, ON M2K1B2
tel:416-225-7773 ext 455
slobodan.stojanovic@ymcagta.org
MISSION: The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity offering opportunities for personal growth,
community involvement and leadership.
VISION: Our communities will be home to the healthiest children, teens and young adults.
VALUES: CARING, HEALTH, HONESTY, INCLUSIVENESS, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY
From: Joy Blake
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2018 10:23:37 AM
To: Stojanovic, Slobodan
Subject: Re:
Hi again Slobodan,
Thank you for your time today.
You asked me to let you know when my next payment becomes due which is on Dec 16, 2018.
Regarding our discussion where you asked me to email you when the training pool is broken so you can arrange an access pass to the plus section, as I mentioned, I would prefer if you put a note on my file with this arrangement, just in case you are off on a vacation, etc when this happens.
Thanks again for your time and suggestions like using the family area.
Also please remember to check into my suggestion of extending another subsidy threshold for people/ persons with a disability needing access to warm water.
Sincerely,
Joy Blake
[protected]
