Canada Games Pool

One of the few regular gyms in the Vancouver area that are powerlifter-friendly…by golly, I can even use chalk without being harassed! Lots of squat racks and bench racks, as well as Olympic lifting bars and plates, including the women’s bar. There’s also a nice set-​up for bodyweight exercises so you can do dips and chin-​ups to your heart’s content. Lots of dumbbells and cable equipment, as well as a few machines for when you gotta be a curl bro.
The reason why I’m not giving this place 5 stars is the unbearable heat and humidity upstairs for half the year. I don’t know what kind of genius designed a pool within the gym without a wall or windows separating them, but once March rolls around, it’s impossible to do cardio upstairs and even light weightlifting will have sweat dripping down my face and body, which is rather unsanitary for everyone involved. I can only speak for myself, but I’d gladly pay more if they erected a wall between the upstairs area and the pool so it would be more comfortable up there.

Service level from reception depends on the person (s) manning the desk. There is this blond lady with glasses who put on a grimace on her face whenever (and I mean I FREQUENT this place) I scan in. I am hurt every time, but I have no cause for self doubt or remorse as I’m always courteous to service staff anywhere. I do feel aggrieved, and will not put up with that SHOULD she escalate her unreasonable hostility towards me!

Nice pool, friendly and attentive staff, good hot tub, great for swimming laps + reasonably priced lessons. The slide is pretty awesome. The gym above the pool is ridiculously warm though.

I used to use this pool all the time for swimming and the gym. The last time I used it I went swimming. I saw a Chinese man cough up mucus in his hand and rub it on the cement tiles for everyone to walk through. THAT IS THE MOST DISGUSTING THING I HAVE EVER SEEN AND I WILL NEVER SET FOOT IN THIS POOL EVER AGAIN.

Good place to go for a workout or a swim.
Lots of pools, a hot tub, and a sauna. Only downfall if you are overly picky about recreational centers like this is there is no steam room. The sauna does it’s job though.
As for the weights, pretty good. There is an area near the pools at the bottom that not many go to if you like to get in a quiet workout. The upstairs area can get crowded but it has a lot of machines to do whatever you want. The only downfall about the upstairs area is you will hear a bunch of «look at me types» dropping their weights on the ground while changing in the change room all the damn time. And then when you go upstairs going «man that was loud» you see them hogging the weights/​area doing their crossfit thinking it will get them chicks yet no one even cares.
The staff is very friendly and personable. And the prices are reasonable. Can’t think of a better gym/​rec center in New West overall.

Swimming lesson is very short. 25mins
Other city has 30mins to 60mins lesson.
Winter time, you may feel water is very cold. If you stay more than one hour, you may easily get sick.
If you go Family time, adult must go with them, even they are teen.

If you’re looking for a pool to come casually swim laps after work, this is virtually your only option in the lower mainland (excluding gyms with memberships). Canada Games has 3 large pools (a shallow end, deep end and 8-​lane pool), as well as a large gym upstairs, a circuit training area, a water slide, hot tub and sauna. It’s open year round and great for taking the kids, and they offer swimming lessons for all ages. Very reasonable prices. Quite possibly the best pool in greater Vancouver.

Friendly staff. Good swimming lessons. Clean facilities. Range of activities + good hours. I like Canada Games Pool quite a bit, but the weight training facilities are a bit too busy for my liking (they are well-​equipped, though).
I like the pool — the lanes are fairly wide, the temperature is warm enough, and it isn’t ever crazy busy. They also keep the shower facilities reasonably clean. I still recommend always using flip-​flops though, ew.

Pool/​Gym combo in New West.
This place is great value for money.
There is a large swimming pool with lots of public swim time.
Upstairs overlooking the pool there is a large area for weight training and cardio (bikes, and treadmills), with plenty of TV’s for your viewing pleasure. There seems to be an after work rush (from about 5 – 7) where things get pretty busy and line ups start forming for all the cardio equipment.
My personal favourite is all the circuit training equipment on the pool deck. The Nautilus equipment is fantastic, it’s a quick workout (about 30min) that goes through weigh training, core workout and cardio.
Their website has all the relevant information that you need to get started.

Our kids come here for their swimming classes. The staff here are very friendly. The pools are large as this facility was built for competitions. We really like the abundant family change rooms with individual showers.
The fitness facility is large. There is a mezzanine area for the exercise equipment and a pool-​side area for circuit training. There is plenty of parking for everyone and just diagonally across from Queens Park.

Built for, you guessed it, the Canada Games in the 1970s, the Canada Games Pool is enormous. It’s neatly partititioned off with a shallow end for the kids’ swimming lessons and aquacisers, a lane-​swimming section in moderately deep water, and a deep end reserved at times for serious swim club activity and diving. With its circuit training area poolside, a big fitness area looking down over the pool, plus ping pong tables and hoop-​shooting games, it’s a hive of activity. Add in a million kids taking swimming lessons, and all their parents standing around watching, and you have one big, busy pool.
But even on a weeknight, the few lanes reserved for a those of us in for random, drop-​in, out and back swimming weren’t too terribly busy. People were polite, always asking if it was okay to go ahead. The sauna and hot tub were roomy too, if not as hot as I could have stood it.
It wasn’t the most serene swim I’ve ever experienced, but if the only annoyance is with slow swimmers who use the moderate lanes, I guess I’m doing all right.