New Recreation Centre

A state-of-the-art new home for Sport and Recreation and social hub for the University community.

Rendering of the exterior of the new Recreation and Wellbeing Centre building with people walking across quad in the foreground.
Rendering of the outdoor quad and exterior of the new Centre as seen from Princes Street.

More than just a gym, more than just a sports centre, more than just a hangout space – the new Recreation Centre will be all these things and more right in the heart of City Campus. It will provide more opportunities than ever before for students, staff and the greater community to get active, support their wellbeing, make new friends and gather together.

The 26,000 square metre facility will include:

  • Aquatics hall with 8-lane swimming pool, dive well, spa pool and sauna
  • Rooftop with panoramic city and harbour views featuring multi-sport turf as well as track, workout and hangout zones
  • Gym with large cardio and weights zones
  • Two sports halls including one with glass floor and LED markings for easy multi-sport usage
  • Bouldering wall
  • Squash courts
  • Numerous large group exercise studios
  • Specialised group exercise studios including a combat sports studio
  • Thoughtfully-designed “chill” spaces  
  • Café and retail outlet
  • Indoor and outdoor multi-purpose event spaces

An updated facility for our University community

The University recognises the key role that sport and recreation plays in the wellbeing and success of our students and staff. We’re committed to maximising the opportunities for students and staff to play sport, keep fit and have fun whilst studying and working at the University of Auckland.

The old Recreation Centre located on Symonds St was built in 1978 when the University had 10,000 students studying on campus. Today the University has approximately 46,000 students and more than 5,000 staff. The old facility was at capacity and was no longer able to maximise sport, recreation and wellbeing opportunities for the University community.

In planning for this facility, we have widely consulted, over several years, with students, staff and existing Recreation Centre members as to what facilities they believe are important for the University to provide. The new building has taken this feedback into consideration, and we’ve created something we think students will love.

When and where will it open?

The new Recreation Centre at 17 Symonds Street will open at 12pm on Monday 25 November.

The current Recreation Centre at 70 Stanley Street will close at 10pm on Tuesday 19 November.

The Sports Centre at 7 Wynyard Street will close at 8pm on Sunday 10 November.

We appreciate your understanding as we allow our staff time to prepare for our new facility opening with a break in operations from 20-24 November.

Please note some areas of the facility may be closed at short notice as we identify issues and work to address them.

More FAQ

When can I buy a membership?

Memberships are available through our Sport and Rec portal. If you have an active membership at the time the new facility opens, it will automatically transition over.

How much does a membership cost?

Details on membership types and prices can be found here. We are pleased to offer low-cost memberships for students at just $200 upfront for one full year. Staff and alumni discounts are also available.

How can I book to use the facilities?

We’re not currently accepting bookings; however, you can get in touch with recbookings@auckland.ac.nz and we’ll notify you when we have bookings open.

Are there any Rec Centre and sports courts available to book now?

Yes, we have an interim Rec Centre located at 70 Stanley St and interim Sports Centre at 5-7 Wynward St.

When can I view the group fitness and sports courts timetables?

Timetables for the new Rec Centre will be available on the Sport and Rec portal from 5 November.