Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex – Orléans

Negative experience: Arrive an hour before your event because for some bizarre insane reason there are absolutely no signs at the main entrance on where the various rinks are or how to get there so you have to walk around on a wild goose chase. Never seen a complex like this. Twilight zone like. Also, they allow one of the heaters to be turned on but any of the other 12 heaters you have to find a staff member and good luck with that. Have never seen that anywhere. So super weird.

Fantastic experience: Enough spacious ice rink

Positive experience: It is dirty when I come either to use the gym, the pool, or even when I was skating. Some staff aren’t that helpful. This is the only reason I give a 3 stars. Other then that I never had a problem.

Fantastic experience: Great skating lessons!

Fantastic experience: I'm not expert here but it seems like a great place

Fantastic experience: Great location, and very busy for families and kids!

Positive experience: Generally good equipment and facilities however, some of the bathrooms in need of renovation. Also the aquatic program, specifically aquafitness, poorly run with many classes without instructors.

Negative experience: There is no ac in the pool!! It feels like 40 degrees in there, I guess that's why they only open for lane swimming at 9pm or early in the morning, but it's still unbearable. I know that this is an old facility but it just shouldn't be like this.

Positive experience: This is a good place for watching hocky games and punlic swimming. They have a therapeutic pool as well as a full-length pool. Me and my son find a big pool bit cold.

Negative experience: The pool is becoming increasing picky with illogical arbitrary rules that are inconsistent with other pools in the city or frankly whoever is working as a lifeguard that day. I was told that during public swim, we were not allowed to use the rings. When I questioned, the lifeguard didn't have a clue as to why and just said I don’t make the rules. Every other pool in the city allows this and just two weeks prior, my daughter had used the rings at the pool. I put pressure to speak to the coordinator who did not come talk to me but gave a message to the guard saying it’s because they deteriorate if left in the pool. These rubber rings have been there since I was a lifeguard over 17 years ago and had not deteriorated in the least. Clearly this was an excuse to not go get them at the end of a public swim. Why can’t kids just be kids and have fun with toys like they used to. Also, the slide at the pool is never taken out unless it’s during the LTS program. I bet I will get a lame excuse like the rings if I ask. Also, a poor elderly gentleman had an argument with a lifeguard because he was told her could not use water dumbbells to exercise during public swim.. he has since stopped coming even though this was his only means to exercise all because of an arbitrary rule on that particular day… since then, I have seen numerous individuals use the dumbbells with no issue. It’s really sad that ridiculous rules are put in place for no reason other than to stop people from enjoying themselves. I guess we will be going to other facilities in the city that are much more flexible.. very odd as the city of Ottawa is in charge of all public pools..

Fantastic experience: Playing squash in this venue every Thursday. They have so many court. You have to book before the day you want to play though.

Negative experience: If you can choose what ice to rent definitely definitely do not go here. The layout of the ice and the benches are god awful and it’s so so hot!

Negative experience: I came to this establishment and had a very simple question. I spoke Chris/Tina and she was so DISRESPECTFUL. I have never been spoken to like that in my life. She was demeaning and I am pulling my kid out of all of the activities because I refuse to poison my child and force them around negative people like her. I think we need to revaluate her job position to due her lack of manners. Insane behaviour.

Fantastic experience: My daughter does learn to skate here. Well organized and friendly staff

Fantastic experience: Well kept building, lots of parking. Two ice surfaces. Food is available

Positive experience: I find the ice to be great to skate on. I would like more heat in the showers but it’s not bad

Positive experience: It is starting to show its age and lack of investment by the City.

Positive experience: W rink

Fantastic experience: Great place for skidding. Very big center

Negative experience: As a senior, the parking is not convenient and there are not enough shower stalls in the locker room...and it's difficult to get into the pool, no ramp

Fantastic experience: I love the swimming pool and the people are so nice

Positive experience: Nice facility canteen closed though.

Negative experience: Came to register, doors locked 30 minutes before close? Girl said management told them to lock doors early on a regular basis so people don't come in to use the facilities.

Positive experience: I work out at this gym daily it’s pretty basic I would recommend investing in a smith machine appart from that they have a great staff the prices are reasonable it’s well maintained and the amenities are very clean

Fantastic experience: Always great

Positive experience: Good and clean public facility with plenty to do. Swimming pool is nice and weight room has a good variety of equipment. Can be kinda busy sometimes but usually not bad

Fantastic experience: Great spot for drop-in weights and cardio, and very nice squash courts.

Fantastic experience: Fun time for kids

Negative experience: I registered my son in ballet jazz with my little girl, but the teacher doesn't put any effort to give him some boys movements, he's holding up his shorts when the girls are holding their tutus and the kids are not loving the class it's not excited.

Positive experience: This place is great for activities for your kids. My only reason for 4 stars is that the layout is not exactly intuitive and some of the hallways are not obviously marked. If it's your first time and you're in any hallway beyond D, come a bit early to find where you're going.

Fantastic experience: I use the facilities for my childrens activities. It is always clean with ample parking

Fantastic experience: It is clean.

Fantastic experience: Great complex and great staff active gym and great pool and squash ball courts and ice rinks.

Negative experience: Don't go here for skating. They frequently are closed to the public for tournaments and but they don't post that on their website. Although they claim to.

Fantastic experience: Amazing facility, but some of the other parents are rude.

Positive experience: I’ve been only there to play squash , if you’re wondering how the squash area is , it’s nice , there’s around 8 squash terrains. There mostly clean , but there’s ball markings on the side ( shouldn’t bother anyone ) it’s a great place , I’ve seen the hockey ring and it’s nice , haven’t seen the whole recreation center but it is very nice

Positive experience: The main door should be accessible and isn't. The signage was hard to see. Once I figured out where I was going, the room we used was good.

Fantastic experience: Great facility, easy to access right off the highway. Squash courts are fantastic with fair pricing.

Negative experience: No word

Fantastic experience: I love the gym it is one of the best and most complete gyms in Town

Fantastic experience: I go there for squash. The courts are well maintained. Definitely worth the drive.

Fantastic experience: Good place and The front desk staff were very friendly and helpful many thanks to the girl on duty today

Fantastic experience: Great fun rink! We need many MORE like this!!!

Fantastic experience: The rink guys here make the best ice in Ottawa ! Always clean dressing rooms.

Positive experience: The washroom/ change rooms are unisex

Negative experience: Women's change room not accessible due to some unknown issue so needed to use co-ed changr room with way too many families. Inclusive swim was not prepared for non-verbal Autistic child along with 2 other special needs children. Instructor was great but obviously overwhelmed. She indicated she will be asking for extra support for following weeks. Not enough room in smaller pool for number of parents with small babies causing inclusive group to not have enough space for swim instruction. Families with babies took over most of pool area. Babies crying in co-ed change room and not enough space for so many people at the 11:15am Sunday swim lesson time period.

Fantastic experience: Fun times to watch my friend’s son playing and those young folks giving it all they can for a sport they are so passionate about it. Clean environment.

Positive experience: Tournament was very well organized!

Fantastic experience: Excellent facility! Very clean!

Fantastic experience: Amazing service. Thank you to all staff.

Positive experience: It’s not bad. One of the better city facilities.

Positive experience: So far it seems like a very nice facility. The first time we were there the woman's change room going to the pool had zero toilet paper in any of the stalls .... Hoping that doesn't happen again!

Fantastic experience: Many memories of this popular gathering spot for families in team sports and swimming over the fall winter and spring months

Fantastic experience: Well run and organized skating...

Fantastic experience: This is a great facility. It just needs a little updating to provide a more convivial experience.

Fantastic experience: Awesome place for a family swim. They added high chairs in the family change room!. Really helpful for solo parent lessons with toddlers.

Fantastic experience: Great place for the family

Fantastic experience: Nice place and my kids love the activities

Fantastic experience: It's the best gym but please do not go here if you don't already. Go to GoodLife. I wanna go again when gyms are normal.

Fantastic experience: Good service

Positive experience: I like the classes offered here. Many choices, and the instructors and staff are top notch. The downfall is that the pool area is dark as there aren't any windows.

Fantastic experience: Perfect place for kids activities

Positive experience: Rink ice is not bad. The benches are weird to get on and off

Positive experience: Very busy pool. For lessons...seems clean in dressing room.. Saw caretaker hard?at work ..

Positive experience: Older recreation center with lots of activities. The west side door is less accessible than the south side door but there is an elevator. Plenty of gendered washrooms. Lots of open spaces. Heater push button is on the side of the announcement box in East rink.

Positive experience: Nice complex with all the standard features and plenty of seating in the rinks. The set up does not work well for ensuring that vaccine status is checked upon entry to the building.

Fantastic experience: Went for a public skating - and although there were lots of checkpoints to ensure safety - it was well organized and the staff there were very helpful. Felt safe and had a blast.

Positive experience: Great arena facilities. Parking spaces could be bigger...

Fantastic experience: A wonderful sports complex for people. Excellent service and the opportunity to practice according to your activity profile.

Fantastic experience: Great place for the family

Negative experience: It would make more sense to open up more seating than to cram the 50% capacity in one section

Negative experience: I even don’t want give one star. I asked the staff who sit just behind the entrance I was finding dance room. She didn’t ask me anything, just guided me to customer service. I was lining up 20 minutes, then the counter told me I should go upstairs. So the staff in front even couldn’t tell me the dance room is upstairs to save me 20 minutes??? Horrible service. Bad experiences.

Positive experience: Good swimming pool.

Positive experience: A lovely pool but less-than-lovely change rooms. It's a good thing I can't see well without my glasses. If they could also open the high dive, that'd be ace.

Fantastic experience: Clean with generous seating for the Manly rink. Some longe areas with seating as well.

Fantastic experience: Usually nice, clean sports complex.

Positive experience: Nice place to swim but water still a bit cold especially one pool is warm enough. Disappointed that they didn't let my daughters wear their mermaid fin swiming suit. Oh well.

Positive experience: Well run facility.

Fantastic experience: Picking up my kit for Cleaning up the Capital, indoor traffic flow clearly marked, all covid protocols are followed and everything is clean.

Fantastic experience: Apart from being very popular The pool temp was perfect and the showers were nice and hot. Francois Dupuis has turned down the water temp in the showers. They are only luke warm. One needs a hot shower after exercise Fran

Fantastic experience: Ample parking nice and clean directions not very clear were the ice pads are

Fantastic experience: There's a nice canteen to grab a coffee or snack from and the ice surfaces are well maintained.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, great value, and programming. Well worth the membership!

Fantastic experience: Great facilities and nice people!

Fantastic experience: Great staff, facilities & rooms to meet in

Positive experience: This seems to be an older facility but the interior is upgraded and it's clean and bright. We've only been to the pool and the ice rinks. Both are fine - clean, well maintained. The ice rink changing rooms are small and seem designed for kids' hockey teams. The swimming lessons for babies are good.

Fantastic experience: Nice facility. Two ice pads, weight room, cardio room, squash courts. There is a main swimming pool with two diving boards and a climbing wall. There is also a nicely heated leisure pool that is great for swimming with small children. The family change rooms have lockers and changing stalls, with a common shower area.

Fantastic experience: Two great ice pads, well run canteen, despite the age, one of the best and most important facilities in Ottawa

Fantastic experience: I am taking swimming lessons here, the staff were really friendly at the front desk when I signed up. The swim instructor is nice and knowledgeable, I would recommend this place.

Fantastic experience: I've always loved the pool here for the public swims as they allow the diving boards to be used. My kids love it. The lifeguards were also fantastic when my 3 year old got a minor injury.

Fantastic experience: A great place for recreational activities. The gym is clean and well kept. The staff are extremely helpful and kind. The pool isn't as big as other city pools, but very good for lap swimming. If you are looking for a good and cheap place to go that isn't too hectic, this is a good place to be.

Fantastic experience: Bob McQuarrie Recreation Complex opened in 1980. It features a skating center, an arena, a pool (25 meter 6 lane pool, hydrotherapy pool) a state of the art fitness center, and squash courts.

Fantastic experience: Always clean, open almost every day. This was my local arena as a kid, other then the name not much has changed, good place for family's, swimming lessons, hockey games and figure skating to boot. Extensive gym, played squash here once.

Positive experience: I took place in the Aqua Fitness classes held at this location and actually LOVED them. They were a fun way to get some exercise in without putting too much strain on your body. Being able to go with friends and socialize while doing it was a bonus. I highly recommend people give it a shot!

Fantastic experience: Such fun skating!

Positive experience: Good place. 2 skating rinks, a large swimming pool and a smaller one as well. There's a fitness center. The camps are great. The only thing preventing my 5-star review is that the change rooms and the pool floor is a little dirty.

Fantastic experience: excellent sports facility

Fantastic experience: A great place for recreational activities. The gym is clean and well kept. The staff are extremely helpful and kind. The pool isn't as big as other city pools, but very good for lap swimming. If you are looking for a good and cheap place to go that isn't too hectic, this is a good place to be.

Positive experience: Nice place but hard to figure out

Positive experience: Never any parking on sundays.