The Lake County YMCA now offers 24-hour access

By Mary Malik

Always on the lookout for ways to best serve its community, the Lake County YMCA is moving to 24-hour accessibility.

“Our team is thrilled we can continue on the path toward providing the community access to the Lake County YMCA when they need it most,” says Director of Marketing and Communications and Branch Operations Kelly Penzenik. “It’s definitely a win. We know our community will have a positive response to this. Each of the branches are located near industries with around-the-clock staff, including hospitals, machine shops, police and fire stations.”

The first phase of full access, which is available for members 18 years of age and over, began last month at the East End Branch location in Madison, then extended to both West End in Willoughby and Central in Painesville in early-November.

“Members can now enter the facilities through a fobbed entry system,” says Kelly. “All access points are locked and secured, and we’ve installed additional security cameras throughout the buildings and to monitor those who are checking in. To add this service to any membership, people simply need to go through an orientation, sign a code of conduct, and pay a one-time $20 fee for their unique security fob. After that, they can enjoy this new member benefit at no additional cost to their membership dues as long as they remain a member of the Lake County YMCA.”

Also, for safety purposes, only certain amenities will be available after hours, she notes. The fitness center and restrooms will be open, but the gym, childcare and aquatic centers will remain closed.

She reports that other YMCAs in Ohio, including branches in Akron, have recently upgraded to 24-hour access, and that the transition has been welcomed and appreciated.

What Members are Saying
Kelly explains the stories of many members over the years who have expressed interest in 24-hour access, such as the ER nurse who wished she could sneak in a workout on her way home following a stressful shift.

“She told us when she switched to the night shift, she could no longer get that healthy, emotional release of pent-up emotions her job often caused,” says Kelly. “Now, she can.”

A few other members have had this to say:

“I’m coming back to the Y because they have better equipment and a better facility. The hours were the only thing holding me back,” says Brandon.

“I love it. I can get my weekend workouts out of the way early, so I have the entire day still available and not have to worry about when I’m getting it in,” says Terry.

“It’s great—a fantastic deal. For the $20 one-time fee it’s worth it just to have the option to come whenever I want to,” says Ken.

Kelly adds that as a leading non-profit organization in Lake County, the YMCA is answering its call of responsibility to serve the widest possible segment of population within the community.

The Lake County YMCA is headquartered in Painesville. The Y gives children, families and individuals the support and resources needed to help them achieve goals, make friends and find a true sense of belonging. Visit LakeCountyYMCA.org for full program listing and group exercise class schedule and listing of branches and amenities. For more information about the new 24/7 access, visit LakeCountyYMCA.org/association/24-hour-access/.