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Where to Play Sports in Montreal: Pools, Rinks and Fields

Sports · Montreal

Where to Play Sports in Montreal: Pools, Rinks and Fields

Montreal has one of the most complete municipal sports networks in North America, and much of it is free. Here are the addresses to know.

Suggested itinerary

1Outdoor pools2CEPSUM3Claude-RobillardSports Complex4Skating rinksand arenas5Soccer andvolleyball fields6Bike paths andthe BIXInetwork7Running
1

Outdoor pools

★★★★★
familiesbudgetathletes
Date

Open in summer (variable hours).

Address

Multiple sites — see the City's portal.

Cost

Free.

Free and supervised. Every summer, the City opens dozens of free outdoor pools. The biggest are at Jarry Park, Maisonneuve Park and La Fontaine Park. The full list and hours are on the City's sports and recreation portal. Bring your swimsuit: entry is free, subject to capacity.

To cool off for free in mid-summer, in a neighbourhood atmosphere.

One of the most generous free outdoor-pool networks in North America.

Dozens of free, supervised pools, including the biggest at Jarry, Maisonneuve and La Fontaine parks.

Summer swimming is a family ritual — you go with the kids, a swimsuit and sunscreen.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free entry, subject to capacity.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Jarry Park

The neighbouring great park with its fields, per the City's page.

Free

Jean-Talon Market

Montreal's largest public market, per its official page.

2

CEPSUM

★★★★☆
athletesswimmersfamilies
Date

Open year-round (variable hours).

Address

2100 Édouard-Montpetit Boulevard.

Cost

Membership required — rates on the official site.

The Université de Montréal sports complex. Olympic pool, gyms, squash courts, skating rink and indoor athletics track: CEPSUM is Quebec's largest university sports complex, open to the public with a membership, per its official site. One of the few places where you can swim laps all year round.

For Olympic-level facilities open to everyone, even outside the university world.

Quebec's largest university sports complex, open to the public.

Olympic pool, gyms, squash, rink and indoor athletics track — one of the few places to swim laps all year round.

The meeting point for the city's swimmers and athletes, on the Université de Montréal campus.

Tickets
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Mount Royal Park

The mountain next to the campus, Kondiaronk Lookout, per the Friends of the Mountain.

Paid

Olympic Stadium

The inclined roof and the panoramic view, per the Olympic Park site.

3

Claude-Robillard Sports Complex

★★★★☆
athletesfamiliesswimmers
Date

Open year-round (variable hours).

Address

1000 Émile-Journault Avenue.

Cost

Rates vary by activity.

The big east-end annex. Pools, rinks, soccer fields, athletics track and gyms: it is Montreal's Olympic training centre, open to the public, per the City's page. Reachable by metro (Pie-IX) and bus.

For the widest variety of sports facilities in the east end, reachable by metro.

Montreal's Olympic training centre, open to the public.

Pools, rinks, soccer fields, athletics track and gyms — all in one.

You'll cross paths with professional athletes and neighbourhood families on the same field.

Tickets
Recommended nearby sights
Paid

Olympic Stadium

The inclined roof right next door, per the Olympic Park site.

Paid

Montreal Botanical Garden

One of the world's largest botanical gardens, per the City's page.

4

Skating rinks and arenas

★★★★★
familiesathleteswinter
Date

Outdoor rinks in winter; arenas year-round.

Address

Multiple sites — see the City's portal.

Cost

Outdoor rinks free; arenas inexpensive.

Hockey culture. In winter, free outdoor rinks appear in every neighbourhood: the most famous are at La Fontaine Park and Jeanne-Mance Park. Indoor arenas (like those on the municipal list) offer inexpensive open skating. The rink list and conditions are on the City's portal.

To live winter like a Montrealer, with friends or family, without spending a cent.

Hockey culture at its purest — free rinks in every neighbourhood in winter.

Free outdoor rinks (La Fontaine, Jeanne-Mance) and indoor arenas with affordable open skating.

Hockey is a religion in Quebec — people skate as soon as the ice is ready, whatever the cold.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed for outdoor rinks.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Mount Royal Park

The mountain and its winter trails, per the Friends of the Mountain.

5

Soccer and volleyball fields

★★★★☆
athletesfriendsfamilies
Date

Open in summer (variable hours).

Address

Multiple sites — see the City's portal.

Cost

Free.

Jarry Park, Maisonneuve Park, La Fontaine Park and many others have open fields. In summer, the volleyball courts at La Fontaine and Jarry parks are the busiest. Some field bookings go through Loisirs Montréal.

To play for free, without booking, and meet people from the neighbourhood.

One of the densest free-field networks in North America.

Free soccer and volleyball at Jarry, Maisonneuve, La Fontaine and many more.

On summer evenings, the volleyball courts are the neighbourhood meeting point.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — open fields.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

La Fontaine Park

The Plateau's great park with its fields, per the City's page.

Free

Saint-Louis Square

The Plateau's historic square, per the City's page.

6

Bike paths and the BIXI network

★★★★☆
athletesfamiliesbudget
Date

Accessible year-round.

Address

Network of paths across the city.

Cost

Free (BIXI paid).

Montreal has a vast network of bike paths, including the Lachine Canal path and the riverside path. To ride a bike without buying one, BIXI has stations everywhere, per the official site. Membership rates are listed on the official site — worth comparing if you plan to ride often.

To discover the city differently, without a car and at a low price.

One of North America's largest cycling networks, with BIXI self-service bikes.

The Lachine Canal path and the riverside path, plus hundreds of kilometres in the city.

Cycling is part of Montreal daily life — from families to couriers, everyone rides.

Tickets
Recommended nearby sights
Free

La Fontaine Park

The Plateau's great park, its fields and pond, per the City's page.

Free

Jean-Talon Market

Montreal's largest public market, per its official page.

7

Running

★★★★☆
athletessolobeginners
Date

Accessible year-round.

Address

4601 Sherbrooke Street East (Maisonneuve Park).

Cost

Free.

The Maisonneuve Park track. The cinder athletics track at Maisonneuve Park is open to everyone, free, and running groups gather there. La Fontaine Park, for its part, is the Plateau's great jogging loop, per the City's page.

To train on a real track, for free, and join the running community.

The Maisonneuve Park athletics track, open to all, free.

The cinder track where running groups train, and the great La Fontaine Park loop.

Running is Montreal's most popular sport — from beginners to marathoners.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — open track.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Jarry Park

The other great north-end park with its pool, per the City's page.

Good to know for newcomers

Good to know for newcomers. The Montreal library card also works as a recreation card: it gives access to field booking and activity registration, per the City's portal. It is free for residents. In winter, outdoor rinks open as soon as the ice is ready — check conditions on the City's site before heading out.

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