Another fantastic Van Island Rec Centre- they've really done it right over here. Huge gym with no…read moretime limits preset into cardio machines and signup sheets used only if there is a line; really common sense for those of us who perform long stretches of cardio training. Nice salt water pool, hot tub and sauna. friendly staff, clean, lots of well attended community classes, cafe for treats after, and it's affordable. I learned here that they have a pass where you're able to use all the city rec centres with one card, similar to Vancouver Parks Board's FlexiPass.

When we moved to Victoria we passed by the JDFC and I thought it was just a library - wow was I…read morewrong. The library is next to it, but as a family we are there every week doing something from swimming to skating to working out in the gym. We have a family pass and pay monthly, but you can walk in and use the facilities on a per per go basis as well. They have all sorts of classes, a playground in the back, three pools, sauna, steam, water slide and if you are hungry after that a healthy snack bar - no fried garbage - a bit expensive but not overly so. Just don't get lost in the bamboo "forest" next to the library...but that's another story...

After taking in a number of the sights of Victoria my children indicated that there were craving…read moresomething more exiting. I realized that our planned visit to Butchart Gardens later that evening, would not quite fit the bill for them. So, I did an internet search and came up with this place. We jumped into our van, set our course on the GPS and in no time found ourselves getting strapped into our gear. There is a mini training session where we are taught how to use the "life line". That is the safety system that ensures you don't tumble out of the tree's. I learned that it is essential to always make certain that at least one of the two life lines is connected to the main life line at all times. Children age 11 and under are automatically given a more secure magnetic lifeline system which won't allow them to disconnect one line until the other is fastened. I had never done anything like this before and found myself feeling quite nervous (well scared actually) as I began the course. You will find yourself high up among the trees navigating tight ropes, moving planks, vertical ladders, ziplines and so on. I was able to relax a little once I began to trust the life line system. However, I will say that despite the training, I did notice to my horror that at one point in the course I failed to properly connect my lifeline! I am sure that some of you reading this must be cringing at the thought of the danger I was in for those few moments. Well I survived and continued to enjoy this challenging experience which turned into quite a workout to boot. For me, there were no more accidents in using the lifeline. We all agreed that this was great fun and were happy we did this. However I do have some safety concerns. At the beginning of the course, the trainer reassured me that nobody has ever fallen/been seriously injured. Still, in hindsight I would have had all of my children use the more secure magnetic lifeline system. Why not given my experience of improperly fastening my own life line. The business is certainly not taking any chances. No doubt they are well protected by that waiver they have you sign before your child even sets foot on the course. Price... Classic-$34.99 Extreme-(on extra course)-$10 add on WTF Jump-$14.99 add on I believe that there was also a less expensive/milder version of this experience for younger children.

Friendly and professional teen staff. Needs more challenging…read moreplay for the youth, great for young children, in the regular course.

Thank you, Brandon for the wonderful tour! We as a family are pretty experienced kayakers and the…read morewhole family had a great time! We stopped in Victoria on our Alaskan Cruise and Brandon did a great job taking care of us! Thank you!

My husband was pretty reluctant to go kayaking for the first time in ages, but our Sunset Tour with…read moreKelp Reef actually made him pretty happy. Called in morning of on Sunday and was glad there was still room for bookings. Turned out we were 2 of only 3 on the tour that evening, and Austin happened to be our guide. Because of unpredictable winds we went up the harbour instead of out to open waters, which was a little disappointing to me but ended up being fantastic, with lots of historic/fun facts about Victoria and sightings of a bunch of harbour seals. The 2-hour tour was just right for getting to the Selkirk Trestle and back, and 7-9pm was still the perfect amount of light in mid-August. 100% recommend and looking for a time to come back ourselves!

Most Marvellous!! The facility is outstanding, the staff are so friendly and helpful. The…read morelifeguards assisted / treated me for an eye issue and several times checked in with me during our swim to offer further support. This is your family 'go to' water adventure park!! I took my grandboys here and after our swim, we enjoyed the cafe and library. The entire experience was wholesome, affordable and great fun!!

This place was so awesome for the family. Has various pools, hot tub, warm pool for toddlers, wave…read morepool, sauna, steam room, diving pool with varying heights, lap swim pool. Very reasonable prices. Worth checking out! Staff are friendly and watchful.

Lots of fun and many things to do here. Recommended highly to parents of children. Staff is super…read morenice and helpful.

Absolutely awesome. Really fun. Good to do front flips, back flips, side flips. I could spend life…read morehere forever. 10/10 5 stars.

Cafe is a great place for a post-workout sandwich! Best on campus. Wish it was open more.read more

This is, hands-down, my new favorite place to work out in Victoria. As a seasonal resident who is…read moreunaffiliated with any local universities, for the past few summers, I had been a faithful patron of PISE on the Camosun College's Interurban campus. CARSA's much larger facility, with plentiful equipment, decent class roster, good hours, and reasonable fitness center rates for community members ($85 for a monthly pass to access both fitness center and pool at the McKinnon Building across the street) make it a no-brainer. Parking pretty much is a wash, as fees apply for PISE as well. Other than CARSA, the only other non-rec center gym in town is the Y, which is a nightmare parking-wise (especially during peak hours) and has a higher sketch factor, although, like a rec center, it entitles you to use of a pool contained within the same complex. (Note: My positive feelings toward CARSA are tempered by the realization that conditions may change, once the fall semester begins and student users increase.)

The gym is small and very busy, but you can get your workout in if you're patient. Very weird that…read morethe kinesiology biz attached, does their private sessions in the middle of the gym. Not a fan of having to walk around personal treatments on a massage table and listening to a kinesiologist so loud, you can hear her shouting, "Clench your butt!" to a senior on the table---right into the next room. Biggest issue: despite leaving several messages over the weeks, they don't respond to the fact there's no accessible parking near the accessible entrance. They have everything else: electric car charging & drop off. There are able bodied parking spots right by the entrance. But disabled patrons are left to weave their way through heavy and hazardous traffic. The accessible parking is waaaaay over on the other side of the building. It causes additional pain and stress, and is wide open for someone to get hit by a car. It's such a simple matter to put up a sign, but nope. This situation has been in place since early March. I'm not the only one who's complained. Not happy it's come to having to make a Yelp post, either. I prefer to talk things over privately. The effect is that disabled patrons are clearly unwelcome, to the point it amounts to them being banned from the facility. This is a serious human rights issue, and the BC Human Rights Tribunal has told me they'd accept it for a hearing.

best lifeguards in town!…read more poool is well run and fun.

Terrible layout, gym is often packed to such an extent where you can hardly workoutread more

A great rec centre. The Aquafit classes are great and the staff members are friendly and helpful. A…read morerenovation of the pool, sauna, and steam rooms is scheduled for this summer. the coffee shop upstairs is handy to visit with friends after working out.

Not good at all, staff was rude to my wife. I have to add 85 characters for some reason to post a…read morereview.