My Rec Pass: Flexibility to meet your recreation needs and your budget

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The City of Ottawa will be launching its recreation membership and admissions model for drop-in fees, multi-visit passes and membership passes, starting this Monday, December 1 – making fees more consistent and providing you more flexibility to choose your preferred activities that fit your budget.

Public engagement and review developed the final report​

The City of Ottawa’s Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services department conducted a review of how the City can improve its membership and admissions model for recreation activities. The review included public engagement and a price benchmarking review to determine fees. The report was approved by Council earlier this year.

What is the new membership and admissions model?​

The new model for both drop-in admission fees and membership passes has been simplified into a three-tier structure. Each level is based on the cost of delivery for the activities – including specialized equipment, spaces and certified instructors.

• Basic: This is lowest-cost level that includes basic and most popular recreation activities, such as lane and public swims, skating and gym sports.

• Plus: This level involves activities that need specialized equipment or spaces, such cardio-weight rooms, squash-racquetball courts and ice sports like hockey and curling.

• Super: This level involves the most resource-intensive activities. This includes group fitness classes, aquafitness, wave swims and rock-wall climbing.

The fees and membership costs increase at each level. When you purchase an annual membership at the tier two level, you are also eligible for the tier one offerings. The tier three membership provides access to all activities.

The new model also removes the Class A and B facility designations allowing membership passes to be used at more than 50 City of Ottawa recreation facilities.

Finding the best method to meet your activity needs and budget​

The new model provides you with the flexibility to choose the activities you want, with the appropriate options that best fit your budget.

If you partake in an activity more than four times a month, an annual membership would be your most cost-effective option. Membership passe have no initiation fees and can be canceled at any time, without any penalty.

There are also household memberships, which covers up to two adults and allows ever yone under the age of 25 living at the same address to be added for free.

For current members whose fees will increase, the increase will be capped at $5 per month for single memberships and $10 per month for household memberships, until the final membership fee is reached.

The Hand in Hand financial assistance will continue to be available for lower income individuals and households. And discounts remain for specific groups, such as children, youth, seniors and families.

Access to recreation activities is important for keeping Ottawa residents active and healthy – physically, mentally and socially. That is why the City ensures that its recreation and fitness pricing falls below other comparable offerings in Ottawa and other municipalities.

Extensive market research has gone into developing the new membership and drop-in structure and fees. This work has confirmed that the new rates offered are some of the most affordable in the local market and across Ontario. Rates remain of exceptional value for residents and allow the City to maintain these services to keep residents active for the long run.

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