Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic & Recreation Centre

Positive experience: We're registered for swimming lessons. The lessons are good (if you get a good instructor). The pool and change room is warm and clean. Would be nice if the family change room was bigger. Parking can be a gong show, but not too bad considering how many people are attending the lessons. They do have a viewing area but it's very small and get pretty warm up there. Overall, it's not a bad experience and my little one is enjoying the lessons!!

Positive experience: Taking toddler there for lessons, nice renovations, instructors have been good.

Positive experience: A little chilli sometimes, but nice

Positive experience: Recently renovated as of October 2024. Heated pool but it could be warmer as my toddler is always shivering by the end of his 30 minute lesson. Universal change room is smaller than the ones I’ve seen outside of the city, but doable. Viewing platform is nice to have but can get a bit busy. Hard to see the side of the pool closest to the viewing area, so then sometimes people stand up in the front row, which then blocks the view of those sitting in the row behind them…viewing platform is also not at all wheelchair accessible, as it’s up a long, narrow and steep flight of stairs. Ample parking which is nice. Instructor for the parents and tots class seems engaged and experienced which is great.

Fantastic experience: I enjoy all of the classes that I attend both swimming and dry land. The staff have always treated me very well and the price is terrific and reasonable. Than you. The facilities are looked after pretty good and the city has been updating all the facilities due to age.

Negative experience: Called into Calgary 311 ask them to transfer me to Winston Churchill aquatic Centre and they just hung up on me not impressed

Fantastic experience: The Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic & Recreation Centre is an outstanding facility for both fitness enthusiasts and families. It offers everything from a well-maintained pool with fun water features to a fully equipped gym, making it perfect for all ages and fitness levels. The swimming area is fantastic, with lanes for serious swimmers and a play zone for kids. The staff is professional, the facility is always clean, and the variety of programs they offer is impressive. Whether you’re looking to swim, work out, or take part in classes, this place has it all. Highly recommended!

Positive experience: Update: Google Maps is not correct. The pool is closed until fall. No date posted for when electrical upgrades will be completed Old review,,, Water too cool, even in warmer pool. Too bad because it is the closest pool to me. Periodically hot tub and sauna non-functional. There are better swimming pools in Calgary and much better in Coquitlam, BC. Perhaps there are funding and staffing problems.

Fantastic experience: Great facility. It's clean and if you go early in the morning it's nice and quiet. The staff are friendly!

Fantastic experience: Its ok

Negative experience: That was such a terrible.....nothing works properly and it was not clean.....I do not know what are happening with the tax that so many persons pay each year, and the city pool is like that....I think city should reconstruct and make every thing up to date there, half of the showers did not work

Fantastic experience: Wonderful place for kids fun,Staff helpful and kind.

Negative experience: Everything is very very old and dark. Very very cold is in women room

Negative experience: The pool is fine. Staff is friendly. At issue is maintenance issues. Hot tub was closed for long time. Finally open but closed for cleaning during public swim S now. Steam room is still closed ( web site doesn’t tell you). Slide was closed for a while. Delays waiting for a shower in mens change rooms as showers but working. Seems like on any day there is at least a couple of issues. This has been going on for months. But not the only pool with these issues. Been moving to the other pools on town and running into it at other pools, eg Inglewood - last visit sauna didn’t, climbing wall waiting for a fix. Very frustrating as cannot count on things being available

Fantastic experience: I’m going back in a minute

Positive experience: Not very clean but the people are nice

Positive experience: My favourite pool. Hot Tub great and love the Steam Room when working. Great helpful staff!

Fantastic experience: Love working out here, enjoy the classes and the staff!

Positive experience: Excellent

Positive experience: Nice deep pool, wonderful instructor of DWW... unfortunately, the hot tub was not working!

Positive experience: Nice pool, not gross at all

Fantastic experience: The gym upstairs too is lovely

Positive experience: The steam room is not so spacious as in the rest of aquatic centers and needs remodeling. The hot tub is also smaller than elsewhere. The water in the pool is not clean and a bit colder than in other pools, with some bandages floating in it. There are no curtains in the shower. The change room is spacious and clean though.

Negative experience: This facility was updated not so long ago, so it is better than it was, but there are still niggling problems with the steam room and the hot-tub - often the steam room is broken down or closed for some reason - also the hot-tub in recent times has been more of a warm tub, very disappointing if you want to relax in a hot-tub! Staff are pleasant enough about this but nothing gets done - this hot-tub is cooler than both Renfrew and Thornecliffe rec centres? This wasn't the case before covid. Best to check before you pay that steam room and hot-tub are operational, if they are important to you. I really think this warm-tub situation should be fixed - you pay the same as any other city rec centre here so shouldn't the equipment be in great working condition??? Please fix this, City of Calgary!!!! One other thing is to be very aware of thefts from the lockers here - make sure you don't leave anything valuable in the lockers like car keys - cars have been stolen due to doing this. Leave anything like car keys in the small lockers by the reception desk where staff can monitor them!!! Good advice!

Fantastic experience: Have the library next to it, you can park the car at there if the parking is full

Negative experience: The pool is close.

Fantastic experience: Its not a warm water pool, but I enjoy the not so warm water with my 5 years old , or else she world want to stay all day and never go home . so 1 hour swim till she get too cold is just the right amount Time I want to stay . And its cheap , everyone friendly .

Fantastic experience: Staff are friendly and helpful at this location. The pool is clean. This afternoon, at the pool, I had blurred vision, dizziness, and headache; the lifeguard Bert and another lifeguard were very supportive and offered all the needed help until I became better. I can't thank them enough.

Positive experience: Pool was a bit cold. Staff were super friendly and helpful.

Positive experience: The hot tub is not very hot

Fantastic experience: My home pool. Nice and quiet during weekdays in the steam room

Positive experience: It’s alright but the level of hygiene in the locker rooms and the pool should be questioned. There were often bandages left floating in the pool, and although it’s a swimming pool, I ironically tried avoiding swimming as much as possible. The amount of chlorine in the water makes me breakout, and I would often have a sore throat or fall ill if I accidentally inhaled even a small portion of water I’d recommend going to the YMCA because: 1. Lifeguards don’t let you drown‼️‼️ 2. Pool water is safe 3. Kids are sane

Fantastic experience: kids swimming class is awesome, my baby's favorite place.

Negative experience: Tried to do a drop-in session, but they wouldn't let my 15 year old work out with me without taking a course, held once a month. No exceptions. City of Calgary thinks they are a better parent, I guess.

Fantastic experience: Great place took my 2-year-old swimming she loved the little yellow side and literally when down it the entire 2 hours. I feel Luke the public swims and family swims are a bit short but don't mind too much. We will continue to go hopefully every weekend and sign our daughter up for swim lessons here as well. Oh Also love the little baby chairs you can strap your kids as mine ran away naked back to the pool ! I then discovered the seat and was so grateful!!

Fantastic experience: Nice gym and swimming pool

Fantastic experience: Place where so clean and friendly staff located next to the public library and close by Walmart too

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff good facility

Positive experience: Sauna decent

Positive experience: The gym connected with this pool is small. Only 1 squat rack. If you can catch on a quiet time it does have everything though.

Positive experience: I will recommend to my friends

Positive experience: I was great , but too crowded .

Fantastic experience: What I love the most about this center is the presence of family change rooms and showers which is absent in most of the other pools in the city. Parents with young kids of the opposite gender would find this service valuable.

Positive experience: Great little pool. Swim lesson program is good with great staff. The viewing area should have been built just slightly larger its very cramped and hard to get to open seating.

Negative experience: The staff here are very confused. They can't even give you the right information on current swim times. Even when you go into the facility they hand out wrong information. First time going, We were VERY DISAPPOINTED.

Fantastic experience: Gym is located upstairs. Main pool is 25 meters long. Dive tank has warmer water. Steam room and hot tub are presant.

Fantastic experience: It closes so early some days! The receptionist was very helpful even though we arrived 5 minutes before closing time.

Positive experience: Excellent facility, with both aquatic and dry sports areas. Change rooms are clean. The gym is large with lots of weight equipment but needs more treadmills to meet the high demand. This facility hosts swim clubs and lessons so check the schedule before you go to make sure pool is available when you arrive.

Fantastic experience: The very nice swimming pool.

Fantastic experience: Great to be open again, very pleasent environment, great instructor and lots of fun.

Positive experience: Great options for classes

Fantastic experience: Good facility for working out.

Fantastic experience: Clean and friendly stuff, very tight at the viewing mezzanine, but to be expected at busy swim lesson times.

Fantastic experience: Nice clean aquatic+ fitness location parking available there is also steam sauna , whirlpool and a waterslide for kids ;-)

Fantastic experience: Excellent facility, not busy; they use salt instead of chlorine (for a much better swim). Large locker room and footwear stands plus they have full length lockers.

Positive experience: Building interior cleansingness super sanitary sparkling clean! Staff is super friendly accommodative helpful! Most of the guests are respectful of their environment and other people. Wish they had more sit up machines or something to focus in on my core strength and belly!

Positive experience: Small facility. Generally clean. Friendly staff.

Fantastic experience: Aquatic and general fitness centre for the family.

Fantastic experience: Cleaner facility than rocky ridge 'y' and half the price for just the swimming

Fantastic experience: nice and quite gym

Fantastic experience: I came here the first time for my daughter's swimming lessons and I am so happy with this pool and can't wait to come back this fall for her next lessons. Very friendly and helpful staff.

Fantastic experience: I like there very much, nice attitude and people.

Fantastic experience: Me and my family come here often for so many years. Staff are very polite and helpful. The place is clean.

Fantastic experience: After renovation they added great family changing room and the pool is now salty water, less smelly. Great facility.

Fantastic experience: Its very nice place to do exercise

Fantastic experience: Great place to take the kids swimming. Most of the time it is quiet and enjoyable.

Negative experience: Very very rude staff. I would give the staff at this place a -10000000 rating if I could. Never going to this pool. Staff can create their own rules or use already existing rules to prevent customers from having fun or having a good time. The first example is that I have always brought a flutter board in the slide pool for my sister so that she can swim better and have fun after going off the water slide. However, today, a lifeguard told me that this was not allowed with no clear reason as to why. When I asked, they refused to answer and gave me a rude stare. As another example, I have come here several times to swim back and forth from one end to another in the main swimming pool during public swim time. No one has had issues with it or stopped me until today. A lifeguard suddenly announced that I can’t “lane” swim during public times and stopped me from swimming. There are no rules written on their rule board defining what “lane swimming” is. After asking them about their definition of what “lane swimming" is even if they do not have a clear definition. I have seen several swimmers do the same or similar thing as me in the past, and they were not stopped for “lane swimming" either. For example, I have seen other young guys swim back and forth between two ends of the pool with no lifeguards stopping them. And apparently, a child who is under 8 that does the same thing is not considered a lane swimmer. A lifeguard I asked never cared about me doing a "lane swim" during public pool time. As another reviewer has quoted the staff has a very bad attitude of "no for this" and "no for that", and will not tell you that until several weeks have passed.

Positive experience: Nice

Fantastic experience: Very good place,swimming pool ,yoga program,tennis

Fantastic experience: Great place to swim and enjoy the hot tub and sauna

Positive experience: Wish it was open later, on weekends especially. Pool too warm to do serious lengths

Fantastic experience: Old but really good. Usually here for swim lessons and Junior Swim Club. Staff are friendly, and the neighborhood is good as well.

Negative experience: Worst city of Calgary pool I've ever been too and the main pool is ice cold horrible experience there

Positive experience: Amazing center for recreation and different sports. I took my swimming lessons here and I had a very great experience. My teacher was very calm, cooperative, and knowledgeable. My kids also took their swimming lessons here and they enjoyed every bit of the time. They swim like professionals now. Lots of parking and very courteous staff and volunteers.

Positive experience: Amazing center for recreation and different sports. I took my swimming lessons here and I had a very great learning experience. My teacher was very calm, cooperative, and knowledgeable. My kids also took their swimming lessons here and they enjoyed every bit of the time. They swim like professionals now. Lots of parking and very courteous staff and volunteers. If you are looking for an affordable government facility for recreation, sports and relaxation then this is the place to come. You'll love all they've got to offer.

Negative experience: Got accosted by a staff member because you're not permitted to stand on the deck while your 3yr old is in lessons. It's for safety she says. I guess you are supposed to be crammed like a sardine in the viewing area. Poor layout. Going somewhere else for lessons.

Positive experience: Good place for a workout.

Fantastic experience: Great pool for laps and also lessons for kids. Small but functional gym area too. Friendly staff!

Positive experience: It is a good recreation place.

Negative experience: Advanced swimmers in the slow lanes, disrupting the seniors, people shaving in the showers leaving used after shavings on the floor. Not going back

Positive experience: This is a super busy pool. The water is on the cool side because of all the lessons they teach. Only Foothills pool is colder. Thankfully, there is both a steam room and a hot tub here. The deep water tank has a spiral slide which is open during public & family swim times. There are free wallet lockers beside the cashier's desk. Inside the change rooms; like most city pools, the women's showers are in the hallway - none have dividers or any sort of privacy. Lots of lockers available, with a central island to put stuff and benches around the room. Four change stalls, though two are poorly located, requiring patrons to squeeze past lockers. Nice toilet stalls with full length doors. The accessible stall has its own sink, which is great. In the public hallway, there are shelves to leave your shoes and benches. Vending machines hold snacks and drinks. The viewing gallery is upstairs and a good place to sit and watch your kids during lessons because parents are not allowed on the pool deck.

Positive experience: Standard city pool

Negative experience: Lifeguards were rude and condescending.TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE

Negative experience: NOT a welcoming environment to visible minorities. My family has experienced several racist comments from other clients that staff choose to openly ignore, and lifeguards fail to remain neutral during conflicts or consider both sides of the story.

Fantastic experience: After the upgrades, it looks more clean and more fun. The big water slide into the deep pool is very fun for kids and even adults

Fantastic experience: Nice pool

Fantastic experience: Nice

Fantastic experience: Very nice tennis courts. Great facilities.

Fantastic experience: After the upgrades, it looks more clean and more fun. The big water slide into the deep pool is very fun for kids and even adults

Fantastic experience: First time at this pool. We found it very clean and well maintained. Kids loved the slide.

Fantastic experience: Pool is deeper then other pools. Place is very clean

Fantastic experience: Love this place!! Staff always so helpful and a nice swimming community.

Fantastic experience: So nice to finally swim. Good place to go. One of the few unfortunately. They strongly follow Alberta health guidelines.

Positive experience: Great place for exercise. I just would like a better defined place for floor exercise mats to be used.

Positive experience: Worked out with my online appointment today....Excited to be back

Fantastic experience: First time at this pool. We found it very clean and well maintained. Kids loved the slide.

Positive experience: The renovation was great but the mens' shower is too hot. Very uncomfortable.

Positive experience: Water was to cold

Fantastic experience: So nice to finally swim. Good place to go. One of the few unfortunately. They strongly follow Alberta health guidelines.

Negative experience: Unnerving with the new metal gates. We have to walk all the way around the pool to get to the change room. It's busy with University swimmers, so lane swimming is stressful for everyone. I'd rather drive 30 min to Bob Bahan pool. The life guards are nicer, the gate doesn't look like it came from a jail and most people are in the slow to medium range with a few fast swimmers. My year pass expires soon thank goodness!