City welcomes citizens back to recently the renovated Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic & Fitness Centre on August 4

The City of Calgary is reopening the renovated Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic & Fitness Centre on Tuesday, August 4.

The facility will be open from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekends. Beginning today, customers can book an appointment time online at calgary.ca/dropin. As with all City-operated fitness and recreation facilities, putting health and safety measures in place before opening to the public and staff is a top priority.

Similar to the reopening of previous City-operated indoor recreation facilities, we are asking customers to observe recent health and safety measures aligned to the Government of Alberta Stage 2 relaunch guidelines for recreation and fitness facilities. Managing capacity is an important part of these measures to ensure that physical distancing and other safety requirements are followed. Current health and safety information is posted online at calgary.ca/pools and calgary.ca/arenas.

In accordance with The City’s new temporary bylaw mandating face coverings in public indoor spaces, beginning August 1, 2020, customers will be required to wear face coverings inside recreation facilities when not engaging in an athletic or fitness activity.

Reopening the Sir Winston Churchill facility helps The City support the demand for pools and fitness facilities in north Calgary communities. The pool at Sir Winston Churchill will be available for lane swimming, self-led deep-water exercises, lane walking and family swim times. There will be a limited number of swimmers allowed in the pool at one time. Weight and cardio equipment users will notice additional distance between equipment and separated stretching areas.

This is the fifth City-operated aquatic and fitness facility to reopen. The facility previously closed on November 30, 2019 for a planned renovation project to update the facility and complete lifecycle replacement work. This included upgrades to the lighting, heating and water systems, a new universal change room, modernized washrooms, weight room and studio, enhanced safety and security features including exterior lighting and pool gates, improved accessibility, including an accessible pool pod and a second-floor elevator to fitness amenities and the installation of a water slide.

The lifecycle renovations are part of The City’s continuing investment in indoor and outdoor recreation facilities that address the evolving needs of Calgarians.

Sue Goulden, superintendent of operations with Calgary Recreation, says the staff at the Sir Winston Churchill facility are looking forward to the reopening of the renovated pool and fitness facility because it offers an enhanced user experience that will contribute to active lifestyles and the well-being of citizens.

“We’re really excited to welcome back more customers,” said Goulden. “Anyone who has used this facility in the past will notice a lot of upgrades throughout the building. The facility has a new look and atmosphere that will enhance the overall customer experience.”

The City is also opening six additional ice sheets on Tuesday, August 4: Jimmie Condon Arena, Rose Kohn Arena, Max Bell Centre - Ken Bracko Arena and Arena #2 and Southland Leisure - Ed Whalen Arena and Joseph Kryczka Arena.

This will increase The City’s total number of available ice sheets to 10 at five locations. All 10 ice sheets are available for user group bookings. More information on public skating will be available in the fall.

Calgary Recreation continues to make additional sport and playfields available for user group bookings across City facilities.

Future facility openings will be based on demand and the completion of capital projects currently under way.

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