Has anybody used to St. Johns Recreational Center?

I have not been there myself, but I have a swimmer friend who bikes regularly from Southside of Williamsburg to swim there at the St. Johns Rec Center. She prefers it to the pool in Southside — what’s that called: Metropolitan Pool? Her points of preference are schedules and crowding.

I think it's a good pool, but my issue has been that the hours seem subject to constant change. I would take the trek there, and the pool hours wold have somehow changed. The last time I went there I was told that there was too much chlorine in the water, and they had to wait until it dissipated before allowing anyone to use the pool. I threw my hands up in frustration after that.

I actually don't think any of the above commenter have gone recently.

When I first moved to the neighborhood over a year ago, I was initially skeptical to go the the Rec center because it is located near public housing. I thought the immediate area might be dangerous and the facilities sub standard. The only other rec center I have used is on the Upper East Side in Manhattan.

When my neighbor informed me that he and his gf regularly frequent the rec center and that the pool is clean and the equipment adequate for a rec center.., AND that they had no issues passing by the Albany Houses - I decided to give it a try.

(AND in all honesty, my ego felt a wee bit challenged. If 2 very young looking - 22 yo - very farm raised, Mid western looking white kids felt comfortable going to the Rec Ctr.., there was no way in hell I was going to be out done by 2 kids!)

I was pleasantly surprised with the cleanliness of the pool and facility in general. Depending on your schedule, the Rec center is not crowded. On Tuesday is ladies night and the pool tends to be crowded because the local Hasidim women come in numbers to enjoy the heated pool.

So, do try out the facilities.

St. Johns is a gem in this community.

I've used their gym, cardio room, basketball courts and pool for many, many years and sure it's not Crunch or Equinox, but you can't beat the dirt cheap yearly membership rate.

As for safety, my husband once left his wallet in the locker room and when he went back to get it the next morning, it had been turned in. I also left my bike carelessly unlocked in front of the building and when I came back my bike (along with all of the wheels and my lock were there (try doing that in park slope HA!!)

The staff there really does a great job with the extremely limited city funding that they have.

I've been going to St. Johns' pool for nearly 4 years, since I moved to Brooklyn. The pool is good - it's 25 yards, which is long enough for a decent swim, and it's clean. The facility is old and, as someone said in a post above, the staff does its best to keep the place in shape on a limited budget. The pool is fine, the people are nice, forget the stereotypes of the neighborhood (yes, there are quite a few housing projects around but I've never found that to be any sort of issue). I've found that I've made more swimming aquantences at St. Johns than I ever made swimming at the Chelsea Rec Center pool in Manhattan - it's a much more laid back vibe at St. Johns, people like to talk and be friendly rather than swim as if they're preparing for the next Iron Man and then run out. Also, and this is very important, the air is good in the pool room. The Park Slope YMCA is a 5 minute walk from my apartment, yet I still choose to ride 20 minutes by bike to swim at St. Johns because I don't have an allergic reaction every time I swim there. The Park Slope (Prospect Park) YMCA's pool is in a room with a very low ceiling, so the chlorine gas doesn't dissipate and the air has a very strong chemical smell. I have cold-like symptoms for 2-3 days after swimming there, watery eyes, lots of sneezing, etc., and that's why I don't swim there anymore. At St. Johns, no problem whatsoever. And, the place is CHEAP! $75 per year - can't beat that.

They're also adding to the complex a completely new Astroturf baseball/soccer field with running track and a comfort station outside

OH SNAP!!