University of Alberta Gym

This facility closed in 2015 and was replaced by the Hanson Fitness and Lifestyle Center on the other side of the Van Vliet Complex.

Ick. I really don’t enjoy going to this gym. I know it’s free and as a student, I should just be grateful for that, but when I was a student at the University of Calgary, the gym was a much more pleasant place to be (and that’s not saying a lot)
To start, I really don’t enjoy how close together everything is. I get that they want to maximize the small space but there really isn’t a clear pathway to walk between the machines and when I come here during peak hours, I’m honestly kind of uncomfortable having to walk between them.
My next issue is the process for signing up to use the cardio machines during peak time. I completely understand that there needs to be some kind of sign-​up process and maximum use times when things get busy. However, it really isn’t clearly posted anywhere how this is meant to function. It seems kind of chaotic with patrons awkwardly standing along the back wall waiting for their turns even though there are plenty of empty machines waiting to be used.
Finally, the (very limited) space for doing personal floor exercises (e.g. crunchies/​pushups/​etc) is really uncomfortable. At most other gyms I’ve attended, I find this section is usually a little more secluded, at least hidden with a half-​wall or something similar.
Obviously I’ll be back because I’m a poor grad student and it’s convenient but I don’t have to enjoy it. I’m still going to give 2 stars rather than 1 because the staff have always been generally pleasant to interact with during my visits and I don’t want my complaints to be a reflection of them.

I started going to the U of A gym (officially the Fitness & Lifestyle Centre) as an undergrad since it was included in my tuition fees. I enjoyed it, and the price was right, but I don’t see why anyone who isn’t a student or working on campus would come here.
For starters, the gym is quite small given the size of the population it serves. As a result, it’s usually pretty busy. I never did manage to figure out the best times to go during the school year, but the summer is definitely quieter.
They have at least one of most kinds of equipment, and if you’re a bit flexible and patient, you can usually get in your whole workout.

The U of A gym is ok. It is pretty small and you would expect it to be much bigger given the size of the university. They do have a large amount weights and not enough cardio equipment.
The gym is kept clean but for some reason I don’t trust it. I heard some stories from a while ago of it not being so clean, don’t want to go into details, so that has always been in my mind.
If you were comparing gyms between universities, Alberta and Grant MacEwan, I would give the edge to Grant MacEwan University.

I used to come here during first year of university, back when my membership was free. It’s nice to have somewhere to go when you need to work off some steam from pouring over too many books. Anyway, my boyfriend comes here to work out now, but I don’t join him because I prefer the luxury of the brand new facilities at the downtown YMCA gym.
The U of A gym is alright, but kind of small in my opinion. They have a lot of weights equipment, but their cardio equipment is dismal. The cardio machines are located up the stairs in the main workout area. They have treadmills and ellipticals, but not that many so you’ll often have to wait for one. If it’s busy, you can’t stay on it for too long, and sometimes there’s a waiting list.
The weights are on the lower level right in front of the cardio, so you can check out people when they’re lifting weights, if you’re on a treadmill. It’s kind of funny sometimes, watching some guys flex and admire their muscles. The resistance equipment is also on the lower level with the weights, but again, there’s not very much to work with. Pretty much there’s about only one machine for every muscle group. I guess that’s not too bad.
They have a couple of additional rooms for weight-​lifters, one attached to the main gym and one further down the hall. I don’t know why they have so many rooms for weight-​lifting. They should put in a pilates/​yoga room or something. Another thing I don’t like about this gym is that they usually play typical Top 40 music from the radio on the speakers. I prefer having a quiet gym so that anyone who wants music can just bring their own, rather than being forced to listen to something generic.

The U of A is the gym of choice for one friend of mine. I decided to go along one day to get a workout experience, and enjoyed the huge selection of equipment. I tried a few of the weight machines and free weights, but if I go back I think I will simply chill out on one of the stationary bikes — a popular choice for many. The drop-​in fees are reasonable, but if you plan on going often it is more cost-​effective to get a membership. You don’t have to be a U of A student or staff member. People of all ages were working out — and as it was a Saturday afternoon, there were indeed quite a few people. The changing rooms were clean and well-​maintained. The U of A is conveniently located along several major bus routes and the LRT — parking is not free here, so something to consider.