Vivebene, WOW! I'm surprised there is such a difference between Chicago and Naperville. Our Fitness Center is $67 a month for the primary member (plus a $300ish joining fee). The Masters team is extra.
Yes, membership dues for downtown Chicago are really tilted against the individual. Many people who use them have group or corporate memberships, which brings down the monthly fee considerably. And they are almost all chains, so discretion is not possible. I used to swim at a condo pool that was $35 per month, then condo association, in form of one man, voted to close pool to outsiders, so off we went.
Y's and Park District pools can be cheaper to free, depending on when one swims. E.g., for Park District, family swim is free, but adult lap is $15 for drop-in session. Chicago is so spread out that unless the facility is close to hand, one must travel simply hours by bus or train to and from.
At Northwestern, a nonaffiliate can "donate" $1,000 annually, which allows one to pay the same hefty annual access fee paid by alums, plus a fee if you want coached instruction. Staggering. Lake Michigan is a few blocks away and free, if the bicycle cops don't get ya.
At Northeastern Illinois, I hear the fee is simply $5 per drop-in, no memberships, no initiation fee, coach can come too and work with you. It's difficult to reach that pool (more hours on buses), and I have never been there.
There are other little deals here and there. I could sign up with Chicago Masters and do uncoached swims 5-7 p.m. M-F for not much money, but those are limiting hours. Some private condo associations have unpublicized memberships.
3 excellent pools closed last year. One or 2 good ones are in high-rollers', invitation-only clubs.:blah:
VB
Vivebene, WOW! I'm surprised there is such a difference between Chicago and Naperville. Our Fitness Center is $67 a month for the primary member (plus a $300ish joining fee). The Masters team is extra.
Yes, membership dues for downtown Chicago are really tilted against the individual. Many people who use them have group or corporate memberships, which brings down the monthly fee considerably. And they are almost all chains, so discretion is not possible. I used to swim at a condo pool that was $35 per month, then condo association, in form of one man, voted to close pool to outsiders, so off we went.
Y's and Park District pools can be cheaper to free, depending on when one swims. E.g., for Park District, family swim is free, but adult lap is $15 for drop-in session. Chicago is so spread out that unless the facility is close to hand, one must travel simply hours by bus or train to and from.
At Northwestern, a nonaffiliate can "donate" $1,000 annually, which allows one to pay the same hefty annual access fee paid by alums, plus a fee if you want coached instruction. Staggering. Lake Michigan is a few blocks away and free, if the bicycle cops don't get ya.
At Northeastern Illinois, I hear the fee is simply $5 per drop-in, no memberships, no initiation fee, coach can come too and work with you. It's difficult to reach that pool (more hours on buses), and I have never been there.
There are other little deals here and there. I could sign up with Chicago Masters and do uncoached swims 5-7 p.m. M-F for not much money, but those are limiting hours. Some private condo associations have unpublicized memberships.
3 excellent pools closed last year. One or 2 good ones are in high-rollers', invitation-only clubs.:blah:
VB
