Speaking as a lifelong West Chester resident. I've been a member of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine…read morefor some time, primarily using the West Chester location on Airport Road. While I appreciate the facilities and the overall mission of the Y, I am increasingly frustrated with the inconsistent and arbitrary enforcement of rules in the Wellness Center, which has significantly impacted my experience. The posted Wellness Center Rules clearly state under "Personal Belongings: Please store bags and items in lockers." Recently, however, this guideline has been strictly enforced as a outright ban on gym bags on the floor, with staff citing "safety reasons" (potential tripping hazards). Yet many other rules on the same sign--such as re-racking weights and avoiding dropping them, limiting cardio machine use to 30 minutes during busy times, using headphones for music/videos, and wiping down equipment--are routinely ignored. Unracked weights, dropped barbells, and cluttered equipment create far greater safety risks than a responsibly placed gym bag, but these violations go unaddressed, even during peak hours. Even more concerning is the allowance of independent, non-YMCA-affiliated CrossFit sessions on the wellness floor. This is not a dedicated CrossFit facility, and these high-intensity group workouts frequently involve heavy lifts and dynamic movements that result in dropped weights (directly violating the posted "avoid dropping" rule) and take up large areas of shared space, increasing risks for other members. CrossFit carries well-documented higher injury potential compared to standard individual workouts, yet it appears to be permitted without oversight. This double standard suggests favoritism or other priorities over consistent safety and fairness for all members. Regular gym-goers like myself rely on a gym bag for practical reasons: it keeps essentials organized (clean clothes, towels, water bottles, recovery tools), maintains hygiene by separating sweaty gear, and supports efficient routines for busy schedules. Some members even carry emergency medical items--inhalers, EpiPens, or glucose monitors--for conditions like asthma or diabetes, needing quick access during workouts. Unfortunately, these selective policies and lack of uniform enforcement reflect poorly on management. It feels as though member convenience, fairness, and actual safety take a backseat to arbitrary decisions. This is the primary reason I give the West Chester YMCA low referral ratings and hesitate to recommend it to others. I hope leadership will review these practices to ensure rules are applied consistently and the facility remains a truly positive, safe, and welcoming space for everyone--as the posted sign promises.

Patrons leave their personal belongings all over the gym floors, on equipment, etc. It's to the…read morepoint where I actually tripped over a backpack & said something to the attendant on duty & he said he would "look into it"?! I've voiced my complaint to management about this is a hazard & that's why there are lockers to use, but management brushed it off by saying "yeah, that's not good" but have done nothing about it. Cancelled my membership today because of this.

Wonderful church, great preaching, and friendly people.read more

This is the best day care I highly recommend. Starting with the classrooms they are all such high…read morequality! The teachers are so patient and kind. My son loves his classroom with Ryan and Caln and he even has a connection with Chef Maryann he never misses a chance to say goodbye to her when we leave! My daughter absolutely loves Chrissy Langston Aiden & Ed !! Miss Dawn is such a great person to be greeted by in the morning she always has a big smile on and is very friendly. Jernice Logan Lauren and Wilma go the extra mile every time and their communication is wonderful. I cannot say enough good things about this place Mike and Michelle do a great job and I really appreciate them.

The staff members are not treated greatly by the upfront staff. Children are moved randomly without…read moreexplanation to a random classroom and a random teacher they don't know. The teacher isn't informed if they are potty trained or not or even what their name is. I would not recommend coming here. After seeing it for my child to potentially attend I was not impressed.

My wife and I became parishioners at St Patrick Parish over five years ago. St Pat's has become the…read morecenter of our faith lives. Fathers Redcay and Arul are devoted priests who tend to the needs of St Pat's Parish families. St Pat's is brings back memories of belonging to my childhood parish in Philadelphia in the late 60s through 1980. Good Faithful Priests and Sisters serving the needs if Parish families while following the examples of Jesus, St Mary and St Joseph. The Parish organizations are focused on serving our community and bringing the the members closer to the true path of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

My boys attended the 5 year old program this year and they loved it! There was always fun…read moreactivities in the classroom. The teacher always came up with creative ideas to match the theme. There were fun field trips, holiday celebrations and music and movement on a regular basis. They are still talking about the chicks they watched hatch! The teachers in the school really got to know the boys and focused on their social/emotional development. They are definitely well prepared for kindergarten. We are so happy we found this program!

My children have attended preschool here since 2013-present and it has been wonderful! The staff is…read moreamazing and great with children. There is a great sense of unity and family amongst all the teachers and parents. Mrs. Venezia has been a favorite amongst my children and they remember her even after they have moved on to elementary school! It's on of my favorite preschools and we will miss it very much when our youngest graduates and moves on to kindergarten.

The Good: My toddler is actually learning at this school. Every day is something new. In addition,…read morehe is also having fun and looks forward to going to school every morning. They even send us daily photos and a written update on what the children are doing. This is an excellent practice because it allows us to talk to him about specific things he did and learned. Finally, I feel good knowing that he is safe while away from homThe owner is hands-on and the staff is competent and friendly. The Bad: I am unable to think of anything outside of the cost. But, you get what you pay for here. Overall, I would recommend this school to anyone who cares about their child being safe and being in an environment that encourages learning and having fun. This gets 5 stars. Enjoy!

Our 3.5 year old son transitioned to this Goddard School from another major chain in West Chester,…read morePA. Our reasons for reevaluating his situation were many, including the birth of our second son. We sought a better opportunity enrich our sons lives at this critical stage with experiences and learning opportunities at a place that felt more structured, safe, clean, and genuinely had the best interest of the children/students in everything they did. Jennifer (the owner) is involved, detail oriented, attentive and communicative. The teachers and staff are friendly, present, and clearly care. The use of email and general technology (e.g. Tadpole) to amplify the communication is effective and keeps things transparent. The activities and interactions our son has had in just the first few weeks have opened up new windows for his curiosity and intellect. The shift in our older son's demeanor was immediately evident. We wholeheartedly recommend this school.

Great Beginnings is the best of the best when it comes to preschools and kindergarten programs…read more Both of my daughters started in the 2-1/2 yr old program and I intend for both of them to complete every age level including their private kindergarten program ( my eldest has already completed GBCP & K's full program and is in our local elementary school ). I have seen the teachers here recognize learning, emotional and/ or behavioral disabilities before a primary care physician and/or pediatrician. This is done from experience alone. The director, Jill Pfendner, connects to each and every student and family on a personal level, and the teachers become more like family rather than staff member ( my eldest has loved each and everyone of her teachers so much that she herself went to Jill Pfendner herself, and asked that her little sister be placed with a specific teacher ). They have play based learning with structure so that if your LO goes straight from GBCP & K to either a kindergarten program or 1st grade ( my daughter went straight to first grade but about half of her K class, of 14, went on to repeat K in their local public / private school and the other half went onto 1st grade into their prospective schools) they are able to adapt easily to the changes of a larger school. The school has onsite and offsite field trips for most if not all of the classes. The Kindergarten class alone when on 3 field trips in the first 2.5 months of school alone! They support / visit our local nursing / assisted / adult day care ( which is located next door ) in the area which has been clinically proven to improve social, vocab, emotional skills and behaviors with both the children and residents.