Non-CCV pool/tennis options in 23221 and 23226? (Richmond, Tuckahoe: lawyers, homes, neighborhoods)

[hesitantnova]

Hi,
We're familiar with Richmond and are looking at pros and cons of buying in city vs Henrico vs Midlo. We would love to be close to downtown for work and the charm of older homes/neighborhoods. Private school is possible (although we would prefer great public schools). However we'll never be CCV types. Where do city residents go for pool and tennis if they don't play golf and don't want to join the country club? Surely other people like this exist in nice city neighborhoods?
Thanks!

[Charlesaf3]

There are a few non CCV clubs people join - one in particular, but it slips my mind. Plenty of available tennis courts in Byrd park. Pool at vcu if you are affiliated

[richmondpics]

There is Lewis Ginter on Northside
Lewis Ginter Recreation Association | Located in historic Ginter Park!

Westwood Club in the near west end
Westwood Club Tennis - Richmond, VA | Home

Tuckahoe YMCA
Tuckahoe Branch | YMCA of Richmond | Henrico, VA

There is Byrd Park for tennis as well as a few courts at Thompson and Patterson at the Humphrey Calder Community Center.

[hesitantnova]

Thank you both! This gives me hope. Does anyone have feedback/reviews on any of these? We are definitely more swim than tennis, but my kids seem to be taking to their tennis lessons, so I don't want to drop that. Appreciate the links!

[Charlesaf3]

Westwood - that's it. Pretty popular for people like you, from sound of things. We bring the kid to vcu pools, and tennis is a perpetual "we should do that someday". But we love living in the city. And actually I think it's by far the easiest place to live if you are from out of town. Charming, easy, and most of your neighbors will also be from out of town. Locals are still scared of the city, they have 1994 in the back of their heads.

[richmondpics]

Not all locals are scared of the city...

[Charlesaf3]

True. But a shocking number are

[SeanLCraft]

I belong to Louis Ginter Recreation Center - It is family friendly, they have a swim team, grills, separate baby, kids, and adult pools, events, and you can booze it up there too! They are affordable and most folks tend to be more liberal (as is most of Northside) than the CCV crowd. Cathy Yohai is the center director and a WONDERFUL person. They also have karate, yoga, fitness etc as well as family movie nights.

Richmond also has city pools scattered about that are free for city residents. Most of the local gyms also have pools but they are indoor (not sure if that is good or bad for you) The Jewish Community Center on Monument is another option for you. The dowtown YMCA has a huge indoor pool and lots of children's programs. I hope this helps a little. Best wishes.

[dmoore228]

If you ever consider joining CCV, network haha. Have to be referred to by I think three members, then pay 35k/70k joining fee for single/married. Lot of lawyers, doctors, and financial managers(banks, firms, etc) are what the membership is based off of. Very few inherited off of big money.

I work there

[DukeIV]

If you want to joint CCV you need three sponsors and $75K joining fee + $500 a month to maintain your membership for just you + fees for your family members depending on age. So for a family of four, you could end up paying $1.000 a month just to maintain a membership there.
However, it's quite difficult to find three sponsors because if you are not in the Richmond click it is impossible to get into CCV.
Another thing if you are lucky enough to get into CCV you have to be accepted by the other members and if you are only accepted by a small group there's no guarantee you'll ever be accepted by the larger clicks. if you or your husband are in business where you need to make contacts and you're not accepted into the clicks once you are a member it can actually hurt your business. Richmond's metro area might be quite large but it can also be very small.
Richmond is a different kettle from many other parts of the country, as a matter of fact, I have never seen anywhere quite like Richmond.
If you did end up in the real west end (meaning CCV/ UofR area) then you know by now how the Richmond clicks work. There are a lot of old blue bloods here but they are dying out and the younger generation is a little more accepting/tolerant of outsiders
Good luck to you. :-)