Starting January 31, the province of Ontario is planning to lift a number of COVID-19 restrictions. As a result, many of U of T’s athletic spaces will open for use once again.
This winter, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) will be offering many different programs and sports for individuals to participate in at the St. George campus. Although U of T’s gyms and athletic facilities will be operating under a 50 per cent capacity limit, you should make sure to bring 100 per cent of your enthusiasm to the sports, workouts, and activities they offer!
Sports and athletics
This winter, get ready to lace up your skates and running shoes again, because some drop-in sports and activities will be back up and running. Basketball, ultimate frisbee, soccer, and skating are among the numerous activities that the university will offer, resuming near the beginning of February.
KPE’s Sport and Recreation website is the home for important information about drop-in sports and activities, as well as other programming. The website contains details about the schedule, location, and equipment needed for each drop-in activity. Registration is required to participate in all activities, which can also be done on the website. No prior experience is required to sign up for drop-in activities, so they can be a great way to try your hand at new sports and activities!
Additionally, during the week of February 7, a number of group fitness workouts will be restarting, including Barre, Cardio Dance Party, JOGA, and Yoga. Like the drop-in sports and activities, no previous experience is needed to participate.
This winter, the open gym sessions at both the Athletic Centre and the Goldring Centre will be running again. While the schedule for the Goldring Centre is still being finalized, the Athletic Centre will be open from January 31.
The Athletic Centre, located at the corner of Spadina Avenue and Harbord Street, houses a 200-metre track as well as more than six squat racks and other workout equipment. While the Field House, which is housed in the Athletic Centre, will be open on weekdays from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm and on weekends from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, the track in particular has more selective hours of operation that have been posted online. Registration is not required for these open gym sessions, as staff will be on site monitoring attendance throughout the day.
Finally, Hart House, UTM, and Fitness & Performance will be jointly offering the University of Toronto Virtual Fitness Studio program this winter. The program includes many different activities scheduled for each day of the week, including HIIT & Movement, Zumba, and Yogilates, all of which you can join from the comfort of your own home.
COVID-19 protocols
As there will be limits on the number of individuals allowed to participate in an activity at a given time, ensure that you arrive a maximum of 15 minutes in advance of your program’s scheduled time.
You also must be fully vaccinated to access U of T’s athletic facilities. To prove that you have received your required vaccine doses at least 14 days ago, make sure to bring your enhanced vaccine certificate as well as government-issued identification.
On the day of your programming, you will also be required to complete a UCheck COVID-19 screening. Make sure to answer UCheck’s questions before arriving for your activity, and ensure that you bring a copy of your results.
Other measures designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are also in place at U of T’s athletic facilities. For example, there is currently a mask mandate in effect for indoor athletics spaces, and individuals are required to remain two metres apart.
Some of the U of T athletic buildings have multiple entrances, so make sure to note which set of doors you should enter from for your program. For example, if you are heading to the Athletic Centre, you will either need to enter through the Classic Avenue doors or the Harbord Street doors. To access the Varsity Centre, locate the entrance that can be found on the east side of Devonshire Place. To enter the Goldring Centre, you should also use the doors located on Devonshire Place.
Enjoy your sports and workouts this winter!
