I've recently started going to Bellefield to swim laps, and it's exactly what I expected: A…read moreno-frills campus rec center. The pool consists of four lanes, and if it's busy, you can share a lane with someone--to be courteous, I always stand at the end and ask permission to do so to avoid surprising them in the middle of the lane. The pool ranges from 3.5'-4' in depth, so diving is prohibited, and jumping in isn't advisable. The pool and the room that it's located in are a good temperature--warm enough to be comfortable, but cool enough to feel refreshed while swimming laps. For safety's sake, there is always at least one student lifeguard stationed at the side of the pool.
The locker rooms are reasonably clean and well-kept, and include all of the amenities that you'd want, including showers, bathrooms, hairdryers, etc. (Full disclosure: I don't shower there since I live two blocks away.) You can rent a locker for the semester if you wish, but I always use the transient lockers reserved for day use only, which are quite convenient. Compared to the pool room, the locker room is quite a bit cooler, so be sure to towel off as much as possible after your swim! The locker rooms are segregated by sex, and are for use by both pool and fitness center users.
I haven't used the exercise room yet, but it's on the smaller side, consisting of only one medium-sized room. It contains your typical basic cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, erg, etc.), as well as a few free weights. At the times that I visit (after work, around 5:30), there are usually at least a few people using it, but there's usually enough room for a few more people to work out. The same is true for the pool. In addition to the pool and exercise, there's a gym above the pool for intramurals, which provides some interesting rhythmic background noise when people are playing basketball.
The fitness facilities at Bellefield are for use by Pitt employees only (students, faculty, and staff), so be sure to stop by the security guard's window to the left with your ID when you enter to be scanned in. Since the location and the price (free) are right, I'll be back soon when I don't feel like cycling and want to get my workout on! 3.5 stars.