Campus Rec. strives to make recreation more accessible and incorporate active lifestyle practices into busy student schedules. To help with this, they offer a Peak Pass membership, at the cost of $22.50 per semester, available to current students, staff, faculty, and alumni. The membership grants access to the Summit Fitness Centre — the gym on Abbotsford campus — equipment loaning, fitness classes, locker service, and towel service. Anyone with a Peak Pass can also participate in drop-in sports, regardless of their level of experience.
Cheryl Johnson, the Campus Rec. program manager, spoke with **The Cascade*** to highlight what Campus Rec. is all about.
“It’s a pilot project that I started in response to the kinesiology, nursing, agriculture, and trade students not having a place to work out. So I created a classroom that doesn’t look like a classroom to make it seem as if they’re in a studio being able to work out … I have yoga as one class, Pilates, and a Latin dance class that I’m doing in those spaces, but otherwise, they can just come in freely, work out between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.”
Through Campus Rec., both students and staff can participate in UFV’s intramural sports leagues, with seasons typically operating for the entirety of each semester. This includes the popular intramural volleyball and futsal (a variety of indoor soccer) leagues that compete in the Valley Cup. Furthermore, you can take advantage of the fitness classes operated in both Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
“Campus Recreation is an opportunity for all UFV students to participate in recreational activities, be it sports or physical activity. We also offer fitness classes for active living opportunities … then there’s also work opportunities for students so that they can learn [with] experiential learning opportunities.”
While many students may hesitate to join the programs and fitness classes due to a lack of experience, Johnson emphasized that the focus of Campus Rec. is not about being an exceptional athlete. They aim to create a space where students feel comfortable, regardless of their athletic background.
“Students have a hard time kind of getting out of their comfort zone and trying something new. So I think one of the messages from this would be [to] come and try it out — it’s an open door.”
To further promote inclusivity and accessibility, Campus Rec. has implemented a number of programs in response to the feedback they have received and continue to evolve with the needs of students. This has had a significant impact on participation levels as most of the programs are run by students for the students.
Tanvir Hundal, a recreational assistant in the Campus Recreation team, provided more insight.
“We have women’s [drop-in] sports Wednesdays, and essentially we have about three hours of this program. The first hour and a half, we do futsal … and then the second half we do basketball and badminton. It’s a great way for people that are women or identify as women … to have a safe space to play.”
Hundal underlined that the other co-ed programs are equally fun and worth getting involved in.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to get involved. As far as the programs I’ve been involved in, us students who work with the department and as volunteers, are always willing to chat with people and play with people.”
Campus Rec. also provides Co-Curricular opportunities like volunteering or part-time employment to students. Apart from improving interpersonal skills with co-workers, students learn how the department works, and discover how it cooperates alongside other departments.
Above all, Campus Rec. creates an opportunity for people to connect with the UFV community while encouraging healthy lifestyle practices. As Johnson expressed, the goal is to ensure that leisure and activity are accessible and enjoyable.
“At the end of the day, it’s not even athletic. You don’t have to be athletic to participate in recreation. You just need to be willing to move.”
Hello, I’m Gauri Sethi, a passionate staff writer at the Cascade responsible for writing content that resonates with the masses. Currently, I am pursuing business administration, but deep down, I am a person who loves expressing herself through writing.
