JCC Metro West Memory Center

Pros

• Reggie brought a level of professionalism, motivation, and care that made the gym feel welcoming and worth the time and money.
• Coach Asya is awesome!
• The staff was very helpful and courteous.
• Everything was super clean and tidy.
• Teachers and the facility are wonderful.
• The administration is top notch and ran a well-oiled operation.
• The facilities are fine, recently upgraded, and the staff is helpful.
• It is a welcoming and accommodating environment with a nice sense of community.
• This place has everything you could want for a local rec center.
• It is a good, safe place for seniors to live.
• The programs are endless.
• Everyone is so friendly, professional and accommodating.

Cons

• The staff member transferred callers without listening, leaving questions unanswered.
• The customer service is unresponsive and disorganized.
• Since Reggie left, the gym's energy, service, and overall experience have declined.
• Membership pricing is excessive for the amenities offered.
• The head coach Cynthia McConnell is extremely rude and yells at children, humiliating families in front of others.
• The men's locker room is incredibly outdated and would not pass health inspection.
• The basketball courts are dirty and poorly maintained, often overrun by non-member activities, with worn nets and deflated balls.
• The hours are restrictive, with early Saturday closings and limited Friday/Saturday openings.

Review

This community hub feels like a living tapestry of a neighborhood: a sprawling complex that offers a pool, a gym, a daycare, preschool programs, and a calendar full of events from film festivals to local expeditions. On the surface it's a place many families and individuals rely on for fitness, learning, and connection. But the fabric runs through different threads of experience. For some, it's been nothing short of a home away from home - clean, welcoming, and full of opportunity. For others, a run of miscommunication, maintenance gaps, and leadership changes has left them longing for the energy and cohesion that once defined the center.

When it comes to swimming, the pool and its lessons sit at the heart of the positive stories. Parents with kids in the water routinely highlight the growth and confidence they see, especially under coaches who emphasize safety, breath control, and technique. One six-year-old's progress with water familiarity and back floats has stood out as a standout example of what a strong swimming program can deliver. The sense of safety in the water and the excitement about competing in the future have come through clearly in several notes. There's a palpable excitement about hands-on coaching that makes the pool feel like a place where kids can push their boundaries in a supportive environment. The social dimension around swimming - group activities, group discussions, even shared lunches - also adds to the sense that the pool is a community, not just a service.

But the swimming program isn't without its tensions. A very vocal contingent of families has raised concerns about the head coach of the Marlins MetroWest team, describing Cynthia McConnell as being rude and overly stern with kids and families. They recount a recent incident at a swim meet where a registration issue spiraled into public humiliation and yelling, and they say this reflects a broader pattern of management and communication problems. These reviewers describe a culture where questions aren't welcomed, where patience wears thin, and where parents feel compelled to lodge formal complaints in hopes of safeguarding their children. The contrast is stark: in some lanes, patient, encouraging instruction; in others, a sense that oversight and empathy aren't keeping pace with the program's size and visibility.

Beyond the pool, the facility and staff are a mixed bag of praise and problem areas. Several reviewers sing the praises of a large, well-kept complex that feels clean, modern, and easy to navigate - especially appreciating clear interior signage and a warm welcome at the entrance. The staff are frequently described as helpful and courteous, with trainers and instructors who are clearly invested in a wide range of fitness and wellness offerings. The facility's breadth - the indoor track, the long hours, and the variety of classes and activities - contributes to a sense of a comprehensive center where one can pursue many different paths to staying active. Yet there are clear counterpoints: some reviewers note that the men's locker room feels outdated and not up to par with the rest of the facility, and there are mentions of restricted hours that complicate plans, especially around weekends and Shabbat. A few observations point to maintenance gaps in equipment, d?cor, and sometimes court spaces, which can detract from what otherwise feels like a high-end, welcoming environment.

On the community and early childhood side, the reviews sing with consistency and warmth. Several parents describe the preschool as a bright, nurturing ecosystem that doubles as a social hub for families. Leslie, the early childhood director, earns frequent praise for her leadership and for cultivating a space that feels both professional and caring. The sense that this is more than just a school - a genuine community where parents meet and forge friendships and where kids transition smoothly from one year to the next - comes through in multiple voices. The sense of continuity matters here: one reviewer notes how their kids transferred from NYC and found not just a place to learn, but a place they could envision as "home," thanks in large part to the staff and the culture of the program. The broader family vibe is reinforced by anecdotal touches - the Tuesday group that meets for socializing and the chance to connect over shared meals - that turn the center into a weekly anchor.

Interwoven through the positive stories are heartfelt personal testimonies about transformation and gratitude. Reviewers point to individuals who made meaningful differences in their journey: Mingyi, who helped someone reset their physical fitness during an eight-week health journey, is remembered as a supportive force; Eddie and Fern receive repeated kudos for their warm, personal greetings at the entrances, helping the place feel inviting from the moment you arrive. The sense of a community that extends beyond workouts to experiential programming is echoed in mentions of the center's social calendar - film festivals, trips to Cuba, and other collective experiences that flesh out the life of the place. People describe the gym as a place where instructors and trainers are not merely knowledgeable, but genuinely caring about their members.

The breadth of praise - clean facilities, helpful staff, a welcoming vibe, and a broad array of programs - coexists with candid, sometimes anxious feedback about governance, planning, and consistency. A recurrent theme is the impact of leadership changes, notably since Reggie's departure. Several reviewers feel that the energy and accountability that Reggie brought to the space have not been fully replaced, creating a sense of disconnection and disorganization in some corners of the operation. The misalignment between excellent facilities and uneven customer service has frustrated long-time members who once felt a strong sense of belonging and reliability. In this light, pricing emerges as a practical concern; while the center's amenities are praised, some reviewers find membership costs high relative to the value they perceive, particularly when issues with maintenance or scheduling disrupt smooth experiences.

Taken together, these threads sketch a dynamic, multifaceted institution that remains a cornerstone for many in the community. It offers a robust suite of fitness programs, a top-tier preschool environment, and a roster of cultural and social activities that keep families engaged. It also faces real, human challenges: how to sustain a high level of service after the departure of a beloved leader, how to address safety and behavior concerns in youth programming, how to keep facilities impeccably maintained in a busy, growing space, and how to balance expansive hours and community needs with practical operational constraints. For prospective members, the picture is nuanced: the center can be a thriving home for families, seniors, and athletes alike, provided they're mindful of the potential for growing pains, the specifics of swim coaching dynamics, and the ongoing work to maintain consistent, responsive customer service.

In the end, what endures is a place that many people genuinely treasure. The JCC is described as having wealth - clean facilities, a versatile program slate, and a community that welcomes newcomers with warmth. The stories also remind us that any large community hub must continuously earn its trust day after day: by listening to families, by upholding high standards in coaching and safety, by keeping facilities up to date, and by aligning leadership with the everyday realities of the members it serves. The center's future, for many, hinges on balancing those strengths with steady improvements in communication, accountability, and maintenance - so that the energy once sparked by strong leadership and a close-knit community can be revived, reimagined, and sustained for years to come.

This neighborhood in West Orange, New Jersey offers a convenient and vibrant community for senior living. With Saint Barnabas Medical Center located just half a mile away, residents have easy access to top-notch healthcare facilities. There are several dining options nearby, including McLoone's Boathouse and The Able Baker, as well as pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens for medication needs. For leisure activities, there are parks such as Memorial Park and Eagle Rock Reservation where seniors can enjoy nature walks. Additionally, transportation options like NJ Transit stations make it easy to get around the area. Overall, this neighborhood provides a range of amenities to support a comfortable and active lifestyle for seniors.

Hospitals

• Saint Barnabas Medical Center (0.5 miles)

Restaurants

• McLoone's Boathouse (0.6 miles)
• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• The Able Baker (2.7 miles)
• Millburn Delicatessen (3 miles)
• Taco Bell (3.1 miles)
• Shake Shack (3.1 miles)
• Mayfair Farms Banquet Facilities (3.6 miles)

Physicians

• Summit Medical Group (1.3 miles)
• Summit Medical Group (2.5 miles)
• Care Station Medical Group (2.8 miles)
• Summit Medical Group (3.3 miles)
• Women First Health Center (3.4 miles)
• New Jersey Spine Center (4.5 miles)
• Summit Medical Group (5.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.1 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church (2.6 miles)

Transportation

• NJT - Maplewood Station (2.7 miles)
• NJT - Millburn Station (2.9 miles)
• NJT - Short Hills Station (3.2 miles)
• NJT - Brick Church Station (4.1 miles)
• East Orange Station (4.5 miles)
• NJT - Summit Station (4.7 miles)
• NJT - Watchung Station (6.3 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (2.8 miles)
• Starbucks (3.2 miles)
• True Salvage Cafe (3.7 miles)
• The Bread Stand (4 miles)
• Panera Bread (4.7 miles)
• Starbucks (5.3 miles)
• Paper Plane Coffee Co. (5.4 miles)

Parks

• Memorial Park (2.9 miles)
• Degnan Memorial Park (3.1 miles)
• Orange Park Nj (3.4 miles)
• Milo S. Borden Park (3.5 miles)
• Eagle Rock Reservation (3.8 miles)
• South Mountain Reservation (3.9 miles)
• Florham Park Recreation Department (5.7 miles)

Theaters

• AMC East Hanover 12 (5.3 miles)