McGill Athletics and Recreation

Positive experience: Nice pool, good swimming instructors, but changing rooms could be a bit cleaner.

Positive experience: This is mainly reviewing the B2 gym as a powerlifting traveling in Montreal. The day pass is a fair price ($15 + tax) The gym is equipped with a lot of Rogue equipment including power bar which usually means pretty good quality. The benches and floor can be a tad slippery for bench press, so just be mindful of that. Facility is well maintained, clean, and friendly staff team. There two downsides I personally had. Firstly, navigating around the facility to find the change room and then gym can be confusing the first time. Luckily, the front desk staff is aware and gives you visual aid when providing directions. Secondly, not being able to bring a bag in as a powerlifter can be a bit of trouble, not the biggest deal, but it does serve as a bit of an inconvenience. While I do understand it’s usually to reduce tripping hazard, some gyms provide shelves or areas where people can leave personal gym equipment, so implementing that can be helpful. Overall, I’ve some decent training sessions here, so if you’re nearby, I would recommend checking it out. If you’re not doing powerlifting specific training, you’ll pretty much have everything you need for general fitness and S&C. Good experience.

Negative experience: Le gym est très grand il y a beaucoup de monde a partir du mois de septembre aller jusqu'au mois de mai , et aussi l'été l'horaire du gym est réduite de beaucoup ses heures , et l'été en plus il y a des camps de jour il y a des enfants partout ca court de partout et ca cris je trouve que mc gill maximalise trop ses espace pour faire des l'argent et quoi dire de la propreté des douches c'est très sales et vieux et il n'y a quasiment pas de toilette qui fonctionne elles sont la plupart tous bloqué et il y a de l'eau partout sur les planchers et les toilettes sont toujours brisé, c'est dégoutant au prix qu'il charge pour les membre de la communauté 72$/Mois c'est pas normal , mais l'extérieur est très bien entretenu fleurs ,c'est du tape a l'oeil et que dire du personnel qui parle que l'anglais et ne se force pas pour parler français et la plupart que tu leur demande une information on a l'impression de les dérangés, je ne recommande pas ce gym c'est vestiaires et salles de bain et toilettes il y a jamais rien qui fonctionne!

Negative experience: I was denied entry because my membership had expired by a single day. I didn’t have my phone or wallet with me — deliberately — because of how poor the locker room security is. I had every intention of renewing, but they treated me like I was trying to game the system. Over time, they’ve also cut back on free swim hours to prioritize paid programs and the varsity swim team, further limiting access for regular members. As someone who paid international tuition for undergrad and went on to complete a master’s at Desautels, I expected better. Rest assured, when the alumni office calls asking for donations, I’ll remember this experience.

Negative experience: On m'a volé 20$ dans mon casier qui en plus de ça était verrouillé par un cadenas. Il serait temps de renforcer la sécurité des casiers ??? Le personnel est très gentil mais le matériel est vraiment juste trop vieux c'est triste car cette salle de sport devait être bien dans le temps.

Negative experience: The summer hours are shorter and shorter

Negative experience: I cannot imagine a worse sports complex than this one.

Positive experience: Relaxing vibe

Negative experience: The customer service at this gym was absolutely awful. My partner and I walked in to the main entrance (where it says you can purchase day-passes in-person) and the girl at the counter didn’t even acknowledge us as she was absolutely engrossed in a gossip sesh with her friend over the counter. So we then asked if this is the McGill gym and if we can purchase day passes, she was obviously annoyed that we interrupted her extracurricular activities and pointed to a QR code and told us to buy them online. The online process was annoying to begin with, but especially annoying considering the girl at the front desk couldn’t be bothered to do her job. To be fair though, it did seem like good tea considering my partner and I could also hear the full brunt of her friends trials and tribulations while dating at McGill. We then bought our passes but had no idea where to go as the front desk girl was STILL gossiping, so we had to interrupt them AGAIN to ask where to go and she gave some very bad, very general, very unhelpful directions to the change rooms and gym. Then we had to spend the next little bit figuring out where to go only to get to the gym and find out it closes earlier than it said online. It sure would’ve been nice if the girl at the front desk had given us a heads up the gym was closing earlier, which I thought was a pretty standard thing to do. The gym itself wasn’t too terrible, the equipment is old but usable, it was just incredibly hot and uncomfortable. While I was waiting at the front for my partner to meet up with me on our way out, I noticed that the same two girls were still there gossiping AND someone asked if there was a bathroom nearby that they could use and she said she had no idea. Worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. If any managers are curious about who gave such bad service we were there on December 29th 2024 at about 2pm.

Negative experience: Worst customer experience I've had anywhere in my life thanks to the one girl at the main entrance. Wouldnt set us up with a day pass so she could gossip with her friend, made me go over on my data while using the ancient online process. Once we were set, we tried to figure out where to go in the maze of a building and she still said nothing to us, eventually had to go and ask her what the changing room/gym situation was and she seemed frustrated that we would interupt her gossip session. Once we were finally in the gym, we found out that the hours online were wrong, and the gym was closing in less than an hour, extremely frustrated that the girl at the counter mentioned nothing to us about the fact we were paying for a day pass to only get 45 minutes before close. Aside from that, gym is fine for $17, mostly old equipment but that's ok. Staff inside the gym itself were friendly and helpful. I genuinely pitty anyone that hires this girl in the future, and am left questioning Mcgills acceptance program and hiring for the facilities after dealing with such an incompetent person lol.

Positive experience: It was such an honor to train with Percival Molson's own personal barbell! ️ Jokes aside, it's not an easy review to write. I was just on a day pass, and the process is far from smooth, but then again maybe they don't really want to have day-passers and would rather just cater to McGill students, so it's hard to hold that against them. The equipment is quite old-school. Universities as so profligate, I thought the gym would be shiny modern facilities. Far from it. The locker room is austere. Cold water showers, that type of thing. On the flip side, they are open to the general public, they deserve credit for that. It's got what one needs to work out, no question about it. Staff is very helpful, some are friendly (others less but no big deal). I'm not sure if it's the best option, but I'm happy to have been and might very well go again. 3.5⭐ rounded down to 3.

Negative experience: crowded, cables often broken. underfunded

Positive experience: Amazing gym. They have everything you need to be Mr Olympia. It's hella busy but tbh I can't blame em: for the price (~75 dollars a semester for grad students) it's an insane deal. You could get very buff here. Wish there was a second hack squat, and a smith machine, but I'm just whining tbh. This gym rocks. Mostly everybody keeps to themselves. Staff is helpful enough.

Positive experience: Good gym, has all the equipment you'll need. It's often very busy with students, and very hot in the summer.

Fantastic experience: Visited the Medical Sports Clinic. Fantastic, knowledgeable staff. Friendly and helpful. Great resource for a sports injury. Thank you.

Fantastic experience:

Positive experience: Played badminton Good price for a day pass

Fantastic experience: Nice club, good teams

Fantastic experience: McGill gym place

Positive experience: Crowded in evenings. Follow the opposite of a student schedule and you'll be great!

Negative experience: Always so so busy. They really need to limit the number of people they accept. Don't expect to be able to use the machines you want. Very disappointing given the money I spent on my membership

Fantastic experience: Go ALS. 41 to 12 Saskatchewan. Fun night at the game . Overwhelming victory for the team enjoyed with best friend and cheering crowd.

Negative experience: Terrible customer service - they seem lost. Their website advertises several personal trainers, but only when you buy a pack of 10 sessions, you realize there is only one trainer that is working. Their booking system online is from the 80s - you will want to stab your own eyes out by the time you can actually buy a membership and book a seasion. Finally, there is no phone number, you have to send them an email so troubleshootimg issues and asking questions takes days...awful.

Fantastic experience: Decent facilities. Good staff. Gets very crowded during peak hours. I don't know why half of the fitness center is cardio machines. During peak hours, it's common to see people waiting in line for equipment while 3 people are running on the treadmills. It will probably make more sense during the winter though.

Negative experience: Good track experience Post pandemic experience at times terrible. Track is not supervised so children are on the track during some games. This is very dangerous when trying to run. The fitness center is very hot. Despite being told the AC was working in June this was difficult to believe at 22 C. Now it is at 24 to 27 C. The music is brain blasting. Some students are obviously training for a degree as disc jockey. Despite mentioning this to the supervisor, I was told the students get excited. Weights are left lying around so it is easy to trip. Very difficult to do training under these conditions.

Fantastic experience: Fully decked out gym for $50 a semester is such a steal, i go three times a week and i think it's amazing. Super clean, organized, and inclusive

Positive experience: Ok

Negative experience: very rude attendants at the call center that are not willing to help at all.

Positive experience: McGill is a brand name and I believe there are a plethora of scopes to justify the dignity of McGill.

Negative experience: I'm not even sure where to begin. McGill raised the price during the summer and cut down the hours. The administrative staff always makes mistakes about the fitness pass and locker assignment. You will have to run around like a headless chicken to fix it because nobody knows anything. The gym is crowded and the hours are ridiculous. Also, a lot of unprofessional staff. The booking system is from 1990 so it hardly works. The change rooms are moldy and filthy. I moved on to another gym and never wanted to look back.

Negative experience: How lazy you have to be to put information in your system after getting paid for it and being reminded twice. Every time I go to gym they don't let me in because on system my membership shows expired, then I have to go to administration every time before they let me in. I PAID FOR MEMBERSHIP AND I EXPECT IT TO WORK. Now I can't even go to gym cause admin office is closed right now. What a waste...

Positive experience: McGill is a brand name and I believe there are a plethora of scopes to justify the dignity of McGill.

Fantastic experience: Huge sports complex. I guess it is old, but it is maintained perfectly. I find the old pictures of McGill teams on the wall very interesting.

Fantastic experience: A good gym. only

Fantastic experience: Physio + Massotherapy, does make a huge difference to be within hands of university experts

Fantastic experience: Great gym that is taking the pandemic seriously

Positive experience: Bon

Positive experience: Parmi les rares à avoir l'Aqua vélo!

Positive experience: My sons took a March break camp 6 to 10 on march. I used to bring my sons stuff and meal and my bag from Saint-Lambert to there , as i read i could use cabinet for keeping their shoes ext.. I didn’t get information .... but younger of mine enjoyed this camp which provides six of various activities each day, it you early summit it get discount as early birds.

Fantastic experience: Solid university gym. Really appreciate the availability of day passes for community members (as a parent of a McGill student).

Fantastic experience: CHAMPS

Fantastic experience: Great summer camp in Montreal. My daughter loved the extra tennis hours

Fantastic experience: A bit of a maze, but nice facility! Well maintained

Fantastic experience: Great place to do activities that you are a Mc Gill Students or not you can do activities there swin, Dance and many more i'm a Dance teacher there and also the staff is amazing and the students are awsome

Positive experience: Good place to be

Positive experience: cheap for students

Positive experience: Gym ventilation is poor

Fantastic experience: Very good

Negative experience: Horrendously crowded from 2pm onward all year round. Summer hours are laughable.

Negative experience: Staff is nice and accommodating, money gets spent on treadmills and little else

Negative experience: Needs maintenance work, and more funding for crowded squat rack/platform area

Positive experience: Great coaches!.. but pool needs a serious cleaning

Positive experience: Nice facility, a but too far from the university though....

Negative experience: Change rooms are filthy, but can't complain much for the price.

Negative experience: Low quality equipment but it gets the job done If you need to use the cables you should just buy your own pulley system and take it with you

Positive experience: The pool size is nice but could be a touch warmer, wish there was a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.

Fantastic experience: Great facilities!

Fantastic experience: Awesum facilities at nominal price . McGill rocks

Fantastic experience: A really nice place. As always it’s the goofs that you have to work out with. Mainly clueless mysoginist gross boys.

Fantastic experience: Good track experience

Fantastic experience: Most of the the visitors spend about 3 hrs here and probably don’t have a very good experience.

Fantastic experience: The staff are friendly and happy to help. The facilities are clean and modern. Great place to get exercise before a day of school.

Fantastic experience: McGill's gym facilities, open to McGill students and alumni.

Fantastic experience: nice place clean and verry good service at the door

Fantastic experience: Great gym

Fantastic experience: McGill University gym. Open 9- 5 in the summer.

Fantastic experience: Very good

Fantastic experience: Always great

Fantastic experience: My Gym

Fantastic experience: Nice badminton courts

Fantastic experience: Excellente piste mais un peu vieille

Positive experience: Nice swimming pool.

Positive experience: music is too loud! I came to bump to my tunes not yours xD

Negative experience: As far as I'm concerned this is a huge scam on students. We pay mandatory athletic fees each term. On top of that, they charge us an extra fee for the fitness center. During summer term they want to charge us AGAIN for both the athletic and fitness centers (athletic center NOT included if you're here for the summer). On top of everything, it isn't even that good of a deal for an overly crowded, outdated, and dirty gym. There are gyms all around Montreal that are updated, better maintained, and less crowded for $10-20 per month. McGill wants to charge students $35-47 per month during the summer. Massive rip off even for McGill students! Will cost you way more if you aren't a student.

Positive experience: Eh, the gym itself and equipment is outdated. They also don't turn on any air conditioning during the summer. Intramurals are way overpriced for the number of games provided. Also beware of thieves, do not bring your valuables here!!

Fantastic experience: ali sport camp

Fantastic experience: Nice training facilities, indoor pool and several recreational activities for both McGill students and staff

Fantastic experience: Swimming pool is awesome.

Fantastic experience: If you're a Mcgill student this is the place for exercises, pool, gym, run or just move your body. Incredible bang-for-the-buck ratio (for mMcGillians)

Fantastic experience: Good

Positive experience: Great cheap gym

Positive experience: A bit overcrowded on peak hours

Fantastic experience: Great facilities and pricing

Positive experience: I only use the gym, but it gets crowded and some of the equipment needs to be replaced. Very frequently cannot find enough plates of various weights

Positive experience: Older gym. Has everything you need for working out but is in need of some TLC. They sometimes play loud music in the gym.

Positive experience: Cheap gym with aging facilities but great value for students as it's only $35 per semester. It has a good selection of classes (extra cost) most evenings and is empty on Sundays.

Fantastic experience: Great facilities and pricing