Graduate Blog

Physical Activity 2010 Spring & Summer Information for Graduate Students

Athletic Centre Spring/Summer membership is $127.00 for the term OR $41.00 per month*
*plus HST

The Faculty of Physical Education & Health has begun discussions with the Graduate
Student Union to gain a better understanding of GSU member needs with respect to
athletic facilities and programs.  In particular, FPEH will begin to review the
possibilities of creating options for graduate students to continue their athletic
facility usage during the summer months.  We look forward to continuing these
discussions with the GSU.

Grad Students FAQ's

Do Graduate Students have access to the Athletic Centre?

Yes, of course!  Registered University of Toronto graduate students are members of
the Athletic Centre and have access to the University's athletic facilities by
virtue of their incidental fees, which are automatically applied along with other
student service fees - and appear on your fees statement.  Typically, these fees
cover only the Fall and Winter (September to May) terms of the graduate program.
Spring and Summer access to the Athletic Centre is optional and fees are charged
only to those who wish to extend their access across the spring and summer.  Summer
membership is available to registered graduate students at a preferred U of T
student rate at the Main Office of the AC.   Some graduate programs of study have
exceptional status regarding memberships and summertime memberships.  Please inquire
through your registrar's office to verify your access.

Where are the athletic facilities?

Athletic facilities for University of Toronto students are located on the St. George
campus primarily on two sites: in the Athletic Centre at 55 Harbord Street, which is
on the southeast corner of Harbord and Spadina across from the Grad House, and in
the Varsity Centre, which you enter by way of the pavilion on Devonshire Place
across from Massey College and St. Hilda's Residence.  FPEH also programs activities
on the front and back campus, and at some other facilities that belong to the
University and/or the City.

For information about what kinds of facilities are available within these venues,
their hours of operation, etc., contact the Main Office in the lobby of the Athletic
Centre by phone at 416 978-3436, extension 0, or visit the Faculty's website at
www.physical.utoronto.ca<http://www.physical.utoronto.ca/> for additional details.

What does Athletic Centre Membership include?

Membership includes access to all our facilities (e.g. 25 yard and 50M pools, 200M
indoor track, 400M outdoor track, arena, stadium, Field House, sports gyms, dance
and fencing salles, golf range, playing fields, squash and tennis courts, steam
room, and a large variety of fitness equipment) as well as access to classes, sport
medicine clinic, personal training, and more.  Members have one day advanced booking
privileges on our racquet sport courts (squash, tennis, badminton and table tennis).
 Drop in fitness classes are included in your membership.  Scheduled recreational
basketball, volleyball and soccer opportunities are available to members at no cost.

Members have access to the Varsity Centre outdoor track and field during the spring,
summer and fall months for recreational field sports and track use. During the
winter, the field is dome covered and available for field sports as well as a golf
driving range.  From September to March the Varsity Arena is available for
recreational ice skating and hockey.

In addition to the free drop-in classes, members may enrol, for an additional fee,
in our instruction classes in a variety of sport, dance, fitness, first aid/CPR and
recreational activities. Grad students receive a 15% discount when registering their
children in our children's Junior Blues (instruction classes) and summer or March
Break Camp programs.

See the Activity Guide for full descriptions of the facilities and opportunities for
all members, including student members.  Call the Main Office or check the website
for open recreation and booking information.

Note - We also have regularly scheduled women's only opportunities (classes, swim
times, Strength and Conditioning Centre times) in our facilities and programs, as
well as many programs for children and families: please visit our website for times
and locations.  There are family change rooms and wheelchair accessible change rooms
on the same floor as the general change rooms.  Gender neutral change rooms are
available outside the general change rooms.

Do you provide lockers?

Day Lockers
Full-size locker clearly labelled Day Lockers are available throughout the men's and
women's change rooms in the Athletic Centre for single day use only.  These lockers
are free for the day to members, and to guests who purchase a guest pass.  Note that
you must not leave any contents overnight and you must remove your lock by the end
of the day. Locks are not provided, but you can purchase one from the Varsity Sports
Store in the Athletic Centre lobby.

Rental Lockers
Half-size lockers in the men's and women's change rooms are available for rent for
the same time period as a valid membership.  These half-size lockers may only be
used if they are properly rented and paid for through the Main Office.  If you do
not require the rented locker for the full term, you may request a partial refund
from the Main Office; if you rent the locker partway through into the fall or winter
term, you will be charged a pro-rated rental rate.  Lockers must be rented for the
term of the summer membership purchase, i.e. one month, two months, or full summer
term. You must supply a lock; locks are available for purchase from the Varsity
Sports Store in the Athletic Centre.

There are also small coin-operated wall-mounted lockers for keys and wallets near
the towel counter in the Athletic Centre for use for a single day or less.

Please Note: When the Athletic Centre closes at the end of each day all Day Lockers
are cleared of their contents.  Locks are cut and contents are removed.  You will be
charged a $23.75* locker clear out fee if you wish to recover the items cleared out
from the locker you used.  Any items that are unclaimed are held for 30 days then
donated to charity or otherwise disposed.

Similarly, Rental Locker locks may be cut and contents removed if the locker is used
beyond the rental period; locker contents are held for 30 days then donated to
charity or otherwise disposed.  You will be charged a $23.75* locker clear out fee
if you wish to recover the items cleared out from the locker you rented.  Locks are
cut at owner's expense and will not be replaced.
* plus HST

The Faculty and the University of Toronto are NOT liable for lost or stolen
contents. Please DO NOT leave valuables in your locker.

Do your provide towels?

Locker rentals come with towel service. Towel service may be purchased separately
for the term of the membership or on a daily basis.  Please visit the Main Office to
purchase towel service.

Is my partner, spouse or roommate able to purchase a membership to the AC?

Any one other person, 18 years of age or older, regardless of gender, residing with
a grad student member of the Athletic Centre may purchase a four-month or one-year
discounted membership at our non-U of T student rate. The Grad student and
co-resident must provide proof of address at the time of membership purchase and at
subsequent renewals.  Driver's license, OHIP card, utility bill or bank/credit card
statements are accepted proof of address.
Please note: In order to qualify for the co-residency rate, the student must have
access/membership at the time of purchase.

Can I bring in a friend on a casual basis?

Members may purchase discounted single guest passes or packages of 8 passes in the
Main Office.  Guests have the same access to the facilities as members plus towel
service but cannot, by means of the guest pass, attend or register for instruction
classes or personal training, or book courts.  Guests have the same rights and
responsibilities as members.  These expectations are posted in the facilities and in
the Activity Guide.

Are there intramural teams and clubs for Graduate Students?

Certainly!  Graduate students have the same opportunities to join or form teams in a
wide variety of sports as undergraduates.  Check the Activity Guide for a list of
the sports (men's, women's and co-ed), levels of ability (Division I - III as well
as Tri-Campus), and for instructions on how to form or join a team.  Graduate
Studies has taken home a lot of the intramural awards and trophies in the past
couple of years, and a number of the intramural student leaders are graduate
students.  If this area if student life interest you, contact the Intramural Program
at 416 946-5845.

In addition to Intercollegiate (Varsity) and Intramural sports, students have the
opportunity to join clubs.  These are listed in the Activity Guide, along with
information about how to join.

Can students book space in the athletic facilities?

If your student group wishes to rent one of the facilities, for exclusive use by
your student group, contact the Main Office and they will direct your request to the
appropriate facility manager.  Because all of the facilities are heavily programmed,
the earlier a rental request comes in the better the chance of having your choice
time.  Rental agreements are required and student rental rates apply.

Do you employ students?

There are lots of opportunities for student employment in the Faculty - last year we
employed over 1000 students in part-time, casual positions.  Jobs vary from
lifeguard, game managers, facility monitors, to event staff and sport or activity
instructors.  Check the U of T's Career Centre website for listings, or the
Faculty's listings at http://www.ac-fpeh.com/leadership/opportunities.php.


If you have other questions, do not hesitate to ask.  The athletic and recreation
facilities and opportunities are first and foremost for U of T students - we invite
you to make as much use of them as you are able!