Where to Sweat it Out
A Guide to Staying Active on Campus
Finding places across campus to stay active can be a challenge for many new and returning students. Be it recreational sports, drop-in activities or simply lifting weights at the gym, there are tons of ways to burn calories.
Gyms and Fitness Centres on Campus
As many of you may already know, there are two main campuses at Concordia University: Sir George Williams and Loyola. Each campus has one fitness centre. Located in the Engineering & Visual Arts Building is Le Gym, whereas the Loyola campus is home to the PERFORM Centre, which is connected to the Ed Meagher arena.
Fortunately, student discounts are available at both locations. This is also because there is a fee in your tuition that helps pay for recreational activities. Unfortunately, both fitness centres run on two different systems, and therefore, are exclusive. This means that you should only pay to access the gym closest to you. Otherwise, you have to pay for two subscriptions.
Le Gym offers a wide variety of physical activities and programs. Besides the workout room, there is a hardwood court used for badminton, indoor soccer, basketball and more. It offers programs with personal trainers, fitness and nutrition classes.
Le Gym is open Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekends. Pricing for Concordia students is $80 a semester and $220 for the whole calendar year, with weekly and monthly plans offered as well. Fitness classes and pricing for drop-in classes vary depending on the sport. More information on what sports and classes are offered can be found on the Concordia website under Recreation.
The PERFORM centre is where students in physiotherapy and health sciences work and study. The centre features new equipment and top-notch teaching methods and techniques. Professionals are available to guide you in your training, as well as opportunities to participate in research activities. Access to the basketball court or arena is difficult to come by, as these spaces are often either occupied by staff and varsity teams or rented out.
The hours are Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and fees for students are $70 for the semester and $195.69 for the calendar year, with options for one, two or three months as well.
Clubs, Intramurals, and Recreation
For those of you who enjoy being physically active without spending time in a weight room, Concordia offers other means of exercise.
Clubs themselves are organized and run under the Concordia Student Union. Clubs like the Badminton Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club, Running Club, and more can be found on the CSU’s website.
Intramurals are organized by Concordia Recreation. For intramural sports you must assemble a team and register. The sports included this fall semester are basketball, hockey, soccer, dome soccer, ultimate frisbee, dome ultimate frisbee and volleyball.
Each sport has its own requirements. For example, the fee for dome soccer is $2,500 per team, whereas the fee for basketball is $750 per team. Registration dates are also held towards the end of summer from Aug. 15 to Sept. 5, so hurry fast and register before all spots fill up.
For more information, you can visit the Concordia website under Recreation/Intramurals.
International Sports for International Students
There aren’t too many non-American sports offered at Concordia. If you are looking for an activity native to another country, such as cricket, handball or netball, then sadly, you are not in luck.
The reason behind this was explained to The Link by the Head of Recreation and Intramurals, Michelle Dodds. Dodds’ job is to provide various leisure and recreational opportunities for Concordia students. She explained that sports like cricket, which is played on a field, require “renting a space, which changes the fees for students.”
Whether or not an Intramural sport is run comes down to three factors: equipment, space availability and having enough participants who register.
Fret not, fellow Stinger. Le Gym also has classes to practice mixed martial arts. So, if you’re looking to vent that frustration towards not playing cricket, learn how to slam someone into the floor.
This article originally appeared in Volume 43, Issue 1, published August 30, 2022.
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