Nepean Sportsplex

This is a fantastic facility for ice rinks, pools, work out facilities, curling and so much more. For a city this size, it’s pretty amazing.

I’m a swimmer, so a clean spacious 50m pool was an awesome visit. Change rooms are clean. Loved that the morning swim was a long one, which is usually a frustration with public pools. The staff were nice and helpful and the facility was nice. Price for a swim a bit more than usual, but worth it. We were just visiting, so I’m not sure how much a pass would be.

it’s a rec center…

This review is for the fitness/​cardio centre. I use the Sportsplex as my back-​up gym. I have facilities at work and I like to run outside but when neither works because of timing or weather, the Sportsplex is a great option.
1) The facilities are good — not really swanky but there are enough cardio machines, weights, treadmills etc. that they have been able to accommodate everybody at whatever hour I have visited. Locker rooms are okay — not great but not awful except that I haven’t had much luck with reliable showers.
2) The staff is helpful and friendly. Good folks running the front desk.
3) The price is right and usage terms are very flexible. I had considered going to a private gym as my ‘spare’ gym option but didn’t want to be locked into an annual membership or monthly payments. While you could get a year membership here, you can also drop in (for about 8 bucks) or get a 10 or 20 visit swipe card (about 7 bucks a visit) with no limit on when you use your visits. Since this is a city-​owned rec facility, you might as well get some of your tax money back.
4) Parking and accessibility — never a problem. Use the lots around back, they are closer to the cardio rooms anyway.
5) I’ve also used the YMCA (Merivale), Good Life and Carleton gym. Sportsplex is as good and in some areas better than these three.

The Neapean Sportsplex is a multi-​purpose facility, with services and lessons for swimming, cycling, and other fitness and recreational activities. They have a lot of programs for people of all ages, children and seniors in particular.
I actually didn’t come here for anything fitness-​related. I worked here for one day for a company that was holding a giant warehouse sale for one weekend only. The next day, I just came with my family for the sale itself. It was held in one really large room that seemed like some type of auditorium or gym, as it was really huge and cold, with the concrete tile floor. It hurt to stand on it for a long time, but then again, that’s because I was standing in one spot. If this was, indeed, a kind of gymnasium, the floor would be perfect for running around and the cooler temperature would be a great advantage when you’re working up a sweat.

For a small city, Ottawa ranks amongst the best in the world per capita as far as sports facilities are concerned. Nothing illustrates this better than the Nepean Sportsplex. It has been around for a couple of decades now, and have been continuously added on to. It’s a sportsman’s dream. Inside there are three ice surfaces, three swimming pools, a curling rink, a sports medicine facility and much more. Outside there are baseball diamonds, a football field, a lawn bowling facility and hiking trails. It really is a sight to see. At one time in the ”80s the mayor of Nepean was even trying to get an NHL franchise to make the Sportsplex its home. Parking is plentiful, with an average size parking area in front and a huge parking lot in the back. You’ll notice it still gets pretty busy, though, since there are so many things people can do at the Sportsplex.