A breakdown of the U of G’s Athletics Centre

The U of G's Athletics Centre is home to a 23,000 square foot fitness centre. CREDIT: NICOLAS BUCK / THE ONTARION

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

Whether you want to get fit, take up an active hobby, or participate in group activities, the University of Guelph’s Athletics Centre has lots to offer new and returning students. The Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre is located on campus along East Ring Rd. across from the Gryphon Centre Arena. Students have a base membership included in their tuition which allows them to participate in recreation activities, intramural sports, and athletic clubs. However, access to services such as the Fitness Centre, in-person classes or Gryphon on-demand virtual classes requires the purchase of an NRG pass. There are three floors in the Athletics Centre. On the first floor, you’ll find Gryph’s Locker where you can purchase Gryphon merchandise such as pull-over hoodies and fleece joggers. Walk past all of the U of G swag and you’ll make your way to the W.F. Mitchell Centre which comprises the Mitchell Gym, Small Gym, and West Gym.

The Mitchell Gym is a smaller court used for basketball, volleyball, and badminton. Across from it, the Small Gym has two basketball nets and lining on the ground for pickleball and floor hockey.

The West Gym is the largest of the three gyms. The bigger section of the West Gym is used for volleyball while the smaller one is used for badminton. There are also squash courts and portable basketball nets. On the first floor is also the Aquatics Centre where you’ll find the Red Pool and Gold Pool. The Red Pool opened in 1958. It’s 23 meters long and is four feet deep in the shallow end and 11 feet deep in the deep end. It can be used for leisurely swims. The Gold Pool opened in 1993 and is 25 meters long. With eight lanes and six feet of continuous depth, it is used for length swims. There is also the climbing club which is open to beginner and experienced climbers. The wall is 40 feet tall and has 17 different routes for you to try. One of the biggest and most notable installations in the Athletics Centre is the Event Centre which has a court with 2,200 spectator capacity, a four screen scoreboard, and a VIP lounge. Above it, there’s also a 200 meter track with three lanes to run or walk on. Moving up to the second floor, you’ll find the box office and concession stand for sports games as well as the Fitness Centre which is 23,000 square feet and has a variety of exercise equipment. It opened in 2016 and is the newest facility at the Athletics Centre. Finally, the third floor includes 10 multipurpose studio rooms used for activities like wrestling, combatives and dancing. There are also four meeting rooms, two of which are for smaller groups while the other two are for larger groups. While pre-booking at the Athletics Centre is no longer required other than for recreational swimming, attendees must complete the school’s screening form before coming to campus and follow its instructions. Further, masks are required while not engaging in physical activity, and the Fitness Centre is operating at a 100 person capacity.

For more information on services and hours of operation at the Athletics Centre, visit fitandrec.gryphons.ca. Check out our video on the Athletic's Centre on YouTube. @theontarion