I visited this center for a private event last weekend…read more I heard about this center before and wanted to check it out, but never got around to it. I still really didn't check it out last Saturday. I only walked in the front door - to the right - and the event was in the banquet rooms to the right. If I had to guess about two rooms were used to accompany about 100 people. Overall, I was please with the center. I did see young boys enjoying the facility. I did notice this center is only open from 12p-4p on Saturdays. Unlike most recreation centers in the area, this one looks to be the the largest or in close competition with others in the city. Plenty of parking! Check them out when time permits. Have fun and enjoy life :)

This center is huge and so amazing. I came here because of tge google reviews and they were so on…read morepoint. Greeted with kindness, everything is spotless, seniors are working out, I mean really pumping iton. I am motivated. The parking lot is wonderful too. Spaces are wider than usual to accommodate newer vehicles. The mixture of ages is very nice. I am jazzed by the positive attitudes and smiles. Loving it.

This is a great addition to the area the state of the art rec center has so many activities for the…read morecommunity everything from seniors karaoke to a gym and walking trail outside There is plenty of parking in new activities added monthly you can check out the website for updates or pop in for a preview They are currently hiring a senior activity Director, which will then open up a lot of programs for our local community in the 55 and up range. The staff here are absolutely wonderful and the building itself is beautiful. The architecture is very unique and it's very clean. I am very glad they decided to build us in our neighborhood.

Looking forward to great things!…read more My church is opening it's doors even wider! I attended the Grand Opening events for the newly built Family Life Center! This establishment offers: a full basketball court gymnasium, seating in the gym, a full kitchen, meeting rooms, a fitness center, office space etc. It is beautiful inside. Consider this place for all your event space needs at a great price. The Family Life Center is located adjacent to the main sanctuary. Plenty of parking and the entrance is handicap accessible as well. I attended the Grand Opening on a Friday night and the gymnasium was transformed into a reception area for 100+ attendees. There was still room to feature a live band that consisted of at least 5 members. I am loving it! The vibe is awesome and I cannot wait to use all the amenities this center offers. This two level center has stairs as well as elevator access. Have fun and enjoy life :)

Went here for a pickle ball tournament and had a lot of fun. The staff were friendly and the event…read morewas awesome. Three courts of fun! Chesapeake resident? Check them out!

This is for the Pre-Ballet class directed by Erika Parker…read more I was very excited to find a reasonably priced class for my daughter to learn ballet. Although she is young, she is quite capable of taking direction, as I have taught her some ballet basics. Now I understand the class is filled with 3-5 year old children and some concessions have to be made for learning curves and learning styles;however, my excitement quickly faded upon arriving the first day and being informed that parents must stay outside of the room while class is being conducted. I am assuming this is in order for children to avoid distraction and various meltdowns. Yet, when it is your child's first dance class ever, you really want to see them in action. The instructor does open the doors at the end of class so that you get to see what your child has learned during class. Every class I hoped to see something new, instead all we parents ever witnessed was our children literally running in circles with a ribbon or a scarf. The last class I held my breath thinking maybe, just maybe, she will have something to show us. No. Same thing as the previous five classes. All the kids running in a big circle.I took dance classes for years and lay no claim to being able to successfully teach preschoolers to dance; however, it would have been highly appreciated if the instructor stood in front of the class, had the kids stand in line or on their dots on the floor, and demonstrate something, anything, to encourage us as parents and her students that something was actually done in class. These kids are small so when you ask them what they did in class they can't always express it. The other day I randomly heard my daughter say, "This is the naughty foot and this is the nice foot." I had to ask her if she learned that in class. "Yes," she said, That's it. That is all I know that my kid learned. I am really underwhelmed with this instructor. I thought about placing my child in the gymnastics class offered there and I changed my mind when I realized Erika would be the instructor. No where in her biography on her own website page does her background indicate any gymnastics history or experience that would warrant her the ability to properly and safely direct children. There was a recent story in the news about a young girl having paralyzed herself by doing a back bend in her own home. Proper instruction is paramount. Perhaps this is not the intention of the gymnastics class being offered, but I would be very hesitant to place my child with someone who has no gymnastics background. In the future, I would like to suggest that instructors demonstrate something for the parents to see, even if it is an "I'm a Little Teapot" routine. Especially, if parents are required to go through the effort of: purchasing the required leotards, tights, and slippers, while adhering to the no jewelry, or hair ornaments rules. If we are just going through the motions, let the parents know.

There is a lunch with Santa held every year. Usually the first Saturday in December. Always a…read moregreat time! This is a well kept recreation center! I had never had a compliant about this center. The staff and facility are always in tact. I visited here last Saturday for their annual Lunch with Santa! The event started promptly at 11am and ended promptly a few minutes before 1pm. The City of Suffolk opens there doors to Northern Shores Recreation for a few hours of free fun for the kids. If adults want to participate (eat lunch) they are asked to pay $5 in advance (registration required). But I found out that the in advance registration is only to get a rough estimate of attendees. As a result, if you do not register prior to the event, there is certainly opportunity to register once you arrive. While adults are responsible to pay $5, children are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for a boy or girl to place under the Christmas tree. Now how awesome is that!! So once the adult pays and the child brings the toy...a day of fun begins. During this event you will experience: bounce houses, cotton candy, popcorn, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday crafts, coloring, face painting, custom balloons, lunch from Chic Fil A and raffles drawn throughout the event. Now I love a great children's event and I must say Northern Shores has it put together very well!! This was my 2nd year attending and I plan to attend until my 7 yr old daughter tells me she's too old to go. Children ranged from toddlers to 11 years old. And even if your child isn't into Santa it's still a great time for a worthy cause!! I would definitely recommend you mark your calendar for the first Saturday in Decemeber 2015 (when the event usually takes place). You will definitely not be disappointed a Saturday of fun well spent... Also...the picture quality is great as well. If you wish to bring your own camera to take the picture that is totally acceptable! Have fun :)

We absolutely loved our first trip to the Kroc Center. We saw they have open play volleyball for…read moreonly $5 for non-members which can't be beat. The gym is really nice. I do wish they made it brighter or used brighter balls, but, overall, it was a great time. The staff and the other players were all very nice and welcoming throughout all of the games. The center itself looks really nice. Plenty of work out equipment, and the pool area looks like a blast. More like a waterpark! The front desk staff were very friendly and helpful thoughout our visit. The locker rooms are really nice, too. Very spacious center that seems to offer a lot for everyone. In the area? Check Them Out!

This review isn't about the Kroc Center's values; it's about the process…read more Before submitting a rental request, I carefully read everything available on the website, the event booklet, and the FAQs. Because there were no photos or detailed descriptions of the event spaces, I stopped by in person to understand what would be possible. The front desk staff was kind and showed me around, and I found a room that felt like a great fit for a welcome gathering for the growing Working Families Party in Virginia. I submitted my request in late December. I expected things to move slowly because of the holidays, but when I hadn't heard back by January 5, I called to follow up. I was told my application had been received, everything looked good, and I received verbal confirmation that we could host the event pending one final approval. I followed up by email to confirm details and waited. After six days with no response, I followed up again by email. Two days later, I called and learned the Sales & Event Coordinator was out due to medical issues. That is completely understandable. However, since final approval was supposedly with someone above her, I didn't understand why no one else could give clarity. I even offered to share my contact information with the events director or whoever was responsible for final approval. Two days later, on a Friday afternoon, I received a call letting me know the event was not approved due to its political affiliation. I understand that not every organization allows political gatherings. What's frustrating is that this wasn't communicated upfront or handled quickly. Instead, I spent 21 days waiting for confirmation, only to be denied three weeks before my event, leaving me scrambling to find a new location for a Sunday afternoon gathering. If political events aren't allowed, that should be clearly stated on the website or addressed early in the review process. A simple, transparent policy would have saved me a lot of time and stress.

Great place for senior living with so many amenities! This is a beautiful place and the residents…read morelook very happy! It is nicely appointed and has PT on site, a gym, kitchen, a library, a great living area.. highly recommend you check this place out!!

Visited someone at this facility and it's very nice. Senior living with security provides you…read morepiece of mind. The one bedroom I visited was very comfortable and spacious for one or two people. It has a nice size livingroom, and kitchen. The bathroom has a walk-in shower, a closet and your washer and dryer in it. Apartments come with a balcony, or a side room with a great window! The facility has a library, fitness room, a patio and plenty of activities both on campus and off. The apartment is located near the mall and close enough stores of all kinds and restaurants.

I have postponed writing a review for East Suffolk Recreation Center despite using the gym for…read moreseveral weeks now. I wanted to make sure I could give a complete overview of the facility. However, since I have not used any other aspect of the Rec Center besides the gym, this review will focus solely on that. A co-worker told me about the gym at Parks and Rec; I had no idea this building existed even though I pass by it on my daily commute to work. It is located on 6th Street and is a renovation project of a historic Suffolk school. The center opened five years ago and is a wonderful resource for the community. Here is the deal on the cost: Each person has to pay an annual membership fee of $20 to Parks and Recreation. There is an additional $10/month to have unlimited access to the gym. There is no contract so you only pay for the months you use it. Michael Frickanisce is the fitness specialist and is there to help show you around the gym and equipment. You can also set up an appointment to receive one-on-one training at an additional cost of $10/hour. The gym has several elliptical machines and treadmills; both have television screens built in which is a wonderful distraction while working out. There are also a couple of stationary and incumbent bikes that are usually available. The rest of the gym is filled with weight machines. I have yet to try these out so I can't say anything about them except they look good. They do ask that you wipe down the equipment after you use it. The gym is open 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturdays; they are closed on Sundays. I go on weekdays around 9 a.m. and have never had an issue getting a machine. I can't say how busy it is in the evenings but I will probably try venturing over one day to check it out. Saturday mornings at opening are pretty empty. Unlike other gyms that have music blaring, the gym at East Suffolk Recreation Center is a quiet oasis. If you enjoy listening to music while working out, be sure to bring your own. Ear buds are necessary for listening to the built-in televisions on the equipment. There are many windows lining the walls of the gym so you can see the trees and grass outside, helping to get your zen on. If you've been looking for a way to jumpstart a health kick, I strongly recommend signing up for a membership. I have a treadmill at home but found myself always coming up with excuses not to use it. Now I actually look forward to my gym days--that should tell you something right there.