By: Kelly Chia – Staff Writer
Maybe the new semester has you inspired to start taking your health and fitness more seriously — or maybe you’d just like to try something new. Either way, the SFU Recreation Centre is a treasure trove of new activities that you can do by yourself or with friends. I personally make the most use of the Fitness Centre, which is open from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekends.
Since we all have to pay the rec and athletics fee through our tuition anyway, I feel the need to make something of it by dropping down to the gym for a quick workout while I’m in between classes or just in need of a study break. Here are some ideas for maximizing the use of your enforced recreational pass.
Getting your pass to get started
First, to be eligible to use SFU recreation services, go to go.sfu.ca and under the Athletics and Recreation tab, click “Complete SFU Athletics & Recreation Waiver Now.” This should take you to a four-page form that, once completed, allows you to access the Fitness Centre, drop-in swims, drop-in sports, intramural sports leagues, and other activities. You can also book racquetball, squash, and tennis courts when you have an SFU rec pass. SFU students can even scale the climbing wall after buying a day pass for $10 – I love the climbing wall and find that it’s a fun and challenging workout!
How to get fit away from Burnaby
SFU rec services aren’t just limited to the Burnaby campus either. If you are registered with a minimum of three credits at the Surrey campus (or even if you work there full-time), you have access to all of the fitness centres, pools, weight rooms, swim sessions, and non-registered aquatic/fitness programs available in City of Surrey rec and leisure centers. Access to these opportunities stem from a partnership between the City of Surrey and SFU so students that are based in Surrey can also enjoy a range of recreational activities. The closest facility to campus is the North Surrey Recreation Centre which is a walking distance from Surrey Central Mall.
Likewise, the Vancouver campus rec membership is a product of a partnership between SFU Recreation and the Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation. This partnership allows students to access Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation facilities which includes access to public skating, public swimming, and fitness centres. Similar to the Surrey rec membership, this requires students to be registered for a minimum of three credits at the Vancouver campus.
To activate these memberships if you’re eligible, you have to log onto SFU Recreation’s web portal.
Take advantage of classes with passes
SFU students can also pay a group fitness pass for $25 per semester. The pass allows holders to do group classes like zumba, K-pop dance, kickboxing, ballet, fencing, and more. Check out the diverse set of programs offered on the website.
A similar pass exists for all yoga programs–the Mind, Body, Spirit Pass. You can check out the schedule online at the SFU Recreation home page. Students can purchase the pass online for $114.25.
Luckily, September 16-20 is the trial week for group fitness activities, which is a great way to try out a bunch of different classes and see what you would like to pick up for the semester.
