There are several private social, family and athletic clubs around the City. What do they offer for families, and is it something do-able for the average family; is it truly ‘mom-friendly’?
It really can be all-encompassing leisure, exercise and social outlet for your family. Members enjoy adult gym memberships, fitness classes, children’s swimming and extra-curricular classes, preschool, evenchildcare, all rolled into one monthly fee. The one major selling feature for moms is the preschool programs and drop-off childcare. Member moms feel like they have help; they say the drop-off childcare room is a luxury worth every penny.
“They have day break Mondays through Fridays for moms,” dishes Jess, a club member. “You can call the morning of if you have had a rough night and get them in 30 minutes later for a three hour stretch. They also have a wonderful preschool for children ages three and four, and because of the pool, they incorporate swimming into the curriculum once a month. They also have an amazing program for 2-year olds.”
The major bonus of paying the larger initial fee is that once you’re in and paying your monthly dues, all classes and services are sold on a cost-recovery basis.
The private clubs even offer date-nights once a week that allow you to book your children in for the evening while you enjoy the amenities at the club or go out on the town with your spouse for several hours.
Surprisingly the upfront and monthly costs for private clubs were not as high as we would have guessed they would be. Below is a comparison of the offerings at various local private and public social clubs for families.
| Derrick Club | Royal Glenora Club | S. Terwillegar Rec | YMCA | |
| Gym facilties | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness Classes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child Care (casual) | Yes | Yes | ||
| Childminding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Preschool programming | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Preschool Camps | Yes | Yes | ||
| Birthday Parties | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Social member events | Yes | Yes | ||
| Sunday Brunch | Yes | Yes | ||
| Massage Therapy | Yes | Yes | ||
| Badminton | Yes | Yes | ||
| Squash | Yes | Yes | ||
| Skating | Yes | Yes | ||
| Gymnastics | Yes | |||
| Curling | Yes | |||
| Tennis | Yes | Yes |
Article originally printed in Urban Infant Magazine 2011 By: Connie Peters
photo credit: Irene Austen Photography
