Carleton Athletics Guide: Physical Recreation Centre, Ice House and Gym Access

Carleton lists the Athletics and Recreation Membership among its compulsory undergraduate fees, with no opt-out. There's nothing to buy or activate. Your Campus Card is your membership, and you swipe it at the Welcome Centre in Alumni Hall.

Carleton Athletics gives these typical activation dates: September 2 to December 31 for fall students, January 9 to the end of April for winter students and May 4 to August 31 for summer students. The exact dates can shift each year.

Carleton's athletics facilities sit together in one area of campus. Carleton's campus map lists the main building as Athletics (Physical Recreation Centre). A tunnel entrance leads to its first level, and a bridge on level 2 links it to the Ice House. The Fieldhouse has no tunnel entrance of its own, but you reach it through the athletics building.

Carleton's pages use slightly different building names for the same complex. The admissions page places the Fitness Centre in Alumni Hall, while Carleton Athletics says the main fitness centre is in the Athletics Building with the pool and studios. Either way, you enter through the Welcome Centre in Alumni Hall.

These are the hours Carleton Athletics lists for students. The Fitness Centre page shows a 10:45 p.m. weekday close, while the main hours page shows 11 p.m., so plan to finish before 10:45.

Campus Rec skating and pick-up hockey are for students, staff and faculty. You must book each session on rec.carleton.ca, and the booking window opens 7 days ahead. Bring your student ID.

For fall 2026, recreational skating runs from October 5 to December 4 on Tuesdays in Rink B and Thursdays in Rink A. Figure skating runs on Tuesdays in Rink A. Pick-up hockey runs on Thursdays from 1 to 1:50 p.m. in Rink A, with a second weekly session in Rink B.

CUFIT is the group fitness pass. It covers drop-in strength, yoga, spin, kickboxing and Zumba classes. Spin classes need a booking, which opens 3 days ahead. At the start of the fall and winter terms, Carleton runs an open-house week where you can try classes for free.

The pool has a gentle-incline ramp and a PAL chair lift that staff are trained to run. Elevators serve the athletics building and the Ice House. Accessible washrooms and change rooms are in the Ice House and Fieldhouse, and a family and gender-inclusive change room is on the second floor.

Carleton Athletics says the Fitness Centre is usually quieter from opening until Women's Only hours start, which helps if you'd like a lower-traffic workout. Adaptive programs such as adaptive strength and flexibility, adaptive boccia and para swimming are free for students.