Forge Recreation Center

What is here

The Forge Recreation Center has a strength-and-cardio floor, a six-court gymnasium, a 35-foot climbing wall and bouldering cave, a lap-and-leisure pool with a hot tub, a suspended indoor track, multipurpose studios for group fitness and martial arts, racquetball and squash courts, a functional-training turf zone, locker rooms with day-use lockers, and a smoothie bar.

It is the base for intramurals, sport clubs, personal training, Outdoor Adventures, and the swim school, and it hires several hundred students a year across the desk, floor, aquatics, and program staff.

Access and hours

Entry is with a Campus Card and is included in student fees — there is no separate membership for enrolled students. During the semester the center runs roughly 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, with reduced hours over breaks. Live headcounts for the weight floor and cardio deck are in the PorterRec app.

Spouses, partners, and community members can buy memberships; guests enter with a student sponsor for a small day rate.

Accessibility

The main entrance is step-free; an elevator serves all levels. The pool has a zero-depth entry and a lift. Adaptive cardio and strength equipment is on the main floor, and staff run one-on-one orientations for students with disabilities, arranged with the accessibility office.

Getting started

A free orientation appointment walks you through every space and how to use the equipment. Instructional clinics in lifting, climbing, and swimming assume no experience. The smaller North Campus fitness room is a lower-key place to build a habit first.

The name

"The Forge" is a campus brand applied to several things — the recreation center, the makerspace, and the residential dining hall in Founders Commons all use it — a nod to the region's foundry history. When someone says "the Forge" without context, they usually mean this building.