Online reservations soon no longer needed for Toronto-run fitness classes, skating, leisure swimming

Online reservations will soon no longer be needed for drop-in fitness and leisure swimming at city-owned facilities in Toronto, officials said Thursday.

The move will take effect on Nov. 29 and apply to City of Toronto fitness centres, weight rooms, indoor playgrounds, or drop-in leisure swim programs.

The last batch of reservations for those activities were made available as of 8 a.m. this morning.

The change is meant to align with the provincial government’s lifting of capacity limits in many sport and recreation facilities, the city said in a news release.

Online reservations will still be available for lane swimming and Aquafit classes, though additional walk-in spaces will be added as well.

In its news release, the city noted that Ontario rules currently requires proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to enter indoors sport and recreation facilities, including gyms and pools.

Skating rinks opening soon

Similarly, the city announced Thursday that 38 of Toronto’s outdoor ice rinks will open on Nov. 27, with the remaining 13 outdoor rinks set to open on Dec. 4.

Rinks will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and will be available for free leisure skates, as well as shinny hockey and instructional programs.

Reservations for skating won’t be required this season, though change rooms will be running at 50 per cent capacity. More information is available on the city’s website.

The reservation system was first introduced in 2020, when the province implemented significant capacity limits as part of the fight against COVID-19. The city said that since their introduction, 2.1 million reservations were made for fitness sessions, swims and skates.

CBC