Question: Where can I go swimming in downtown Montréal?
Answer:
If you stay at the Holiday Inn, you can swim there.
If you are at the McGill residences or the Best Western, here are some choices:
McGill’s athletic facilities
Guest/day passes are available for $11.30 per day. The website says,
“Membership to the Sports Complex includes access to all facilities (indoor and outdoor tracks, gymnasiums, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, squash courts, outdoor fields) except the Fitness Centre, for which there is a separate fee. Members also receive a preferred rate when registering for fitness and recreation courses.”
You can read more at the memberships page: http://www.mcgill.ca/athletics/recreation/memberships/. The guest and day passes information is here: http://www.mcgill.ca/athletics/recreation/memberships/day/
There are other pools in the downtown area.
• In the heart of downtown, there’s the YMCA on Stanley Street, just below De Maisonneuve (about 10 minutes walk west of the conference centre). They offer Day Passes for 1 to 5 visits, but I wasn’t able to get a price by phone or on the website. Here’s the site: http://www.yquebec.org/en/health/membership/types/. Here’s the site for the Downtown Y: http://www.yquebec.org/en/centre/facilities/downtown-ymca/1/.
• There is an outside pool at the top of Hotel de la Montagne at 1430 de la Montagne St. (just west of the conference centre, between De Maisonneuve and Sherbrooke) which is accessible to everyone (i.e., you don’t have to stay at the hotel to use the pool), but it’s meant mainly for bathing, not rigorous athletic activity. There is also the condition that one buy something (a drink or something to eat) at the pool-side bar. But it’s a gem with a fabulous view of the city! Open 11:30-3:00 in the morning.
• There’s the large outside pool on Parc Jean-Drapeau (on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence). You’d need to take the metro there (a 15-20 minute trip). Cost=$6.00 for adults http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/12-Aquatic_Complex-montreal-attraction.html
This should be a good start. If you need more info, please let me know.
Brian McMillan
Music Liaison Librarian
Marvin Duchow Music Library
McGill University
514-398-4400 ext. 00730