Facilities

Our Faculty is home to a wide range of facilities, which rank among the best-equipped facilities for teaching, research, sport and recreation of any university in Canada.

In addition to these, a new facility, the Physical Activity and Wellness Centre (PAW Centre) is in the design phase. This Centre is a collaboration between the Students' Union, Graduate Students' Association, the Faculty and the University of Alberta and is being designed to promote and foster the health and well-being of the campus community.

Who can use our facilities

Our sports and recreation facilities are open to students, faculty and staff, U of A alumni and members of the community with the exception of the fitness centre at Foote Field which is designated for the use of high-performance student-athletes. Community members are able to access the fitness centre at the Saville Sports Centre.

Van Vliet Centre

North Campus facilities are housed in the Van Vliet Centre, named for the faculty's founding dean, Dr. Maury Van Vliet.

Dr. Van Vliet served the University from 1945 to 1978 as a teacher, coach and administrator.

Facilities in this Centre include:

• The Clare Drake Arena (Ice Hockey)
• Main Gymnasium with 3 basketball, 4 volleyball and 12 badminton courts
• Aquatic Centre with two indoor pools
• Nine lecture theatres and classrooms
• Dance studio with 2 volleyball and 4 badminton courts
• 10 squash courts
• 3 multi-purpose gymnasiums
• 3 racquetball courts
• Weight training area
• Equipment Room  - handles sports equipment, towel service, locker rentals for use in the VVC.
• Fitness and Lifestyle Centre  - contains cardiovascular and strength-training equipment
• The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement  is a disability research centre and specialised fitness centre for people with physical disabilities
• Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic - provides physiotherapy and therapeutic massage services

Van Vliet Centre Usage and Access

• Van Vliet Centre Access and Usage
• Van Vliet Centre Hours of Operation

The Van Vliet Centre can be found marked as number 82 on the West-Central campus map.

The Universiade Pavilion

A multi-sports facility and legacy of the 1983 Universiade Games, the Pavilion houses:

• Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics
• A 6-lane, 200 m indoor track
• 4 basketball/volleyball/tennis courts
• 4 badminton courts
• Long jump and pole vault
• Indoor soccer/field hockey
• Wrestling room
• Climbing wall 

Other sports and fitness facilities

• Gymnastics Centre  - Runs children's and adult's gymnastic programs.  
• Varsity Field - multi-purpose green space with walking/running path located on the West side of the Van Vliet Centre.

South Campus facilities

• Foote Field  - Multi-use sport training and competition facility for track and field, field hockey, football and soccer. 
• The Saville Community Sports Centre - Detailed information about the Centre

Quick links to

• Book a North or South Campus facility
• Van Vliet Centre hours 
• Take a virtual tour of some of our sport and recreation facilities 
• For information about sport and recreation programs, and recreational use schedules, please see the Recreation Services website. 
• Register for activities, summer camps, school break camps, Campus Recreation programs at the Activity Registration Zone.