Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Reader Email Of The Day: The Greenpoint Y
Ordinarily one would equate a gym with health. That is, of course, unless you happen to patronize the Greenpoint Y— in which case a rather nasty surprise might be awaiting you in the cardio room. D writes on February 22, 2009:
For the past 2 days, there has been a dead/drowned bedbug on water fountain in the cardio room. I did not go to the Y today but I bet it’s probably still there. If it is still there tomorrow I am going to say something to the people at the desk because that is just horrendous…
I have heard rumors for well over a month that this building (specifically the living quarters) is infested with bedbugs. Has anyone else out there encountered these creepy critters at this establishment? If so, please leave your experience in the comments. I’d love to hear your story.
Thanks!
Miss Heather
UPDATE, February 23, 2009:
The bedbug was still there this morning! Granted, they are small and apparently no one even noticed it, I just have a knack for spotting this stuff. It’s either a blessing or a curse. 🙁
So I went to tell the girl at the counter and she was like “what???” She gave me an envelope and I took a piece of paper towel and pushed it in and gave it to her. A woman who looked like she had a maintenance outfit on came over and asked what was going on. I told her and she told me they’ve had exterminators in and that they tell people not to put stuff on the floor. I don’t, thankfully, and from what I understand they probably won’t ever be on any machines, more likely in the cracks between the wall and floor. I told them they would probably want to get exterminators back in.
*shudders*
Comments
6 Comments on Reader Email Of The Day: The Greenpoint Y
-
JarredG on
Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 12:21 pm
-
neighborhood threat on
Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 12:44 pm
-
d on
Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 5:51 pm
-
DukesSoups on
Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 5:56 pm
-
missheather on
Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 6:45 pm
-
cnick on
Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 10:12 pm
I can’t believe this. I’m there at least 4 times a week… Keep me updated.
They tell people to not put stuff on the floor, but for safety and space reasons, not “we have bedbugs”. of course, the locker room is all the way downstairs and is creepy and icky so no one wants to go down there just to hang up their jacket or sweatshirt, so they put it on the floor.
I do that. my boyfriend does that. hell, everyone does that. people bring in bags even though it says NO BAGS.
bedbugs can get into telephones and radios. I don’t understand how they won’t ever get into machines by virtue of them being machinery. they can climb up bed legs.
this is one post that I hope a reporter in the MSM steals from you, because i want SOMEONE to get to the bottom of this. it wouldn’t surprise me if there are bedbugs, given the large parade of folks living/staying there. but they have to tell clients if there is. it’s just unacceptable.
I should clarify since some stuff was inferred from what was written – from what I know via PCOs and personal research (since having a brush with neighbor being infested) it seems that bedbugs do not like to be in bright lights and/or do not generally hide in the middle of a room, their behavior as nocturnal beings is that they’ll scurry for walls and corners that are dark and free from activity. So knowing the cardio room layout, I do think it’s *unlikely* they’d be in or around the machines (unless dropped there by a member who is carrying them in a cuff or coat), but not *impossible*. Also, I was repeating what the employee told me about how they do tell people not to put stuff on the floors, I am aware of the Y’s reasons but the context of the remark made it sound like the bedbug thing was an additional reason.
I first heard the Y had bedbugs about a month ago, my landlady’s daughter attends school across the street and a crossing guard told her about it. I know they threw out mattresses and furniture recently and have been told they had an exterminator in. I don’t know when this all came about but it is not surprising given the use as a hostel type environment and how busy their fitness center is. The rate bedbugs are increasing is incredible, I think it will get worse before it gets better. You can really get them anywhere – subway, work, walking past someone’s infested garbage, in the home from an infested neighbor, etc. Creepy, creepy, creepy.
See:
http://bedbugregistry.com/location/NY/11222-2633/Brooklyn/99-Meserole-Ave
Also
A google search of “greenpoint ymca” and bed bugs turns up lots of traveler stories from different web sites.
Given how popular the gym is, and the high, high probability that there are bed bugs outside the living quarters, this needs to be publicized further in the community.
As trivial as it may sound what really bothers me is that a dead bug was left in a water fountain (a high visibility location) for three days. If this lack of kemptness/proper maintenance is visible to the naked eye what else is there that isn’t? I find this really worrisome.
Oh dear–I used to go to this Y about a year and a half ago and quit after I heard one of the tenants complaining about bedbugs. I was always afraid they would infiltrate the gym and now it appears they have. I do hope they do something about it.
Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
NYS Flickr Pool
