The University of British Columbia has tripled indoor fitness and recreation space at its Vancouver campus with the opening of the new state-of-the-art Recreation Centre North (RCN). The soft opening of the facility began on June 23 and will continue through June 29.
"Recreation Centre North is a vital addition to our campus and community," said Ainsley Carry, Vice-President, Students. "It will serve as a space where students and the wider university community can prioritize both their physical and mental health while studying, living and working on the Vancouver campus."
Construction began in 2022 to support UBC's commitment to wellbeing by providing for the growing need for recreation fitness and gymnasium space.
Chloe Govender, a final-year nutritional science student, is among many excited to see this building open. As a member of the Athletics and Recreation student staff team since 2021, she has provided feedback on the design and amenities of the facility.
"Seeing this building completed has been an accumulation of all the hard work that the students, including me, and the Athletics and Recreation team, put in," said Govender. "This moment is a big part of my life as a student -- I made friends and built a big sense of community around the athletics spaces on campus."
The facility contains an indoor floor area of 101,000 square feet spread over four levels. It includes three gymnasium courts, an indoor run-roll-walk track, cardio and weightlifting areas, and multipurpose studio space. It also features the largest universal change facilities on campus.
"I'm excited to use the fitness centre and see what new equipment we have as it all ties into my interest in being active and studying nutritional science," said Govender.
Designed by SHAPE Architecture, Recreation Centre North (RCN) is a LEED Gold-certified green building, adding to UBC's impressive list of 31 LEED Gold or higher standard buildings. RCN is also Rick Hansen Foundation-certified, which recognizes accessibility.
RCN is located immediately north of the UBC Life Building and at the west end of Student Union Boulevard at the centre of campus. The centre is integrated with the UBC Life Building, and includes an outdoor walkway corridor at ground level to allow foot traffic to readily flow through the area.
"Seeing this project completed is incredibly rewarding," said Kavie Toor, managing director of UBC Athletics and Recreation. "We're excited to see this space become the hub for health and wellbeing on campus."
The project cost $70 million, with $22.5 million coming from AMS student fees.
"As a major contributor to the project, we're excited for the RCN to open," said AMS President Riley Huntley. "This facility is another great example of the role students play in shaping the UBC Vancouver campus. War Memorial Gym, UBC's first Aquatic Centre, the Nest and now the RCN, all made possible because of the contributions from students. The RCN is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together."
"Together with the student's support and community's feedback, we built RCN for the community to connect and get moving," Toor said. "The project is an important investment in the future of our campus community's wellbeing."
