Bear Mountain Activity Centre - Victoria, British Columbia

j J.

Unfair and unprofessional treatment, felt targeted and disrespected …

I had an incredibly frustrating experience at this facility that left me feeling disrespected and singled out. I was at the pool with a friend, and our guardian had briefly stepped away to use the washroom. While she was gone, a staff member demanded that my friend get out of the pool immediately and show her exactly where our guardian was, as if we were somehow purposely hiding. We told her we were not exactly sure where she was at that moment, but that she was still on site and likely just in the bathroom. We even offered to step out of the pool and wait, but instead of allowing us any time to resolve the situation, the staff member immediately kicked us out.

We paid $100 to be there and did not even get to enjoy our time. To make things worse, staff later claimed we were removed for using profanity, which is completely false. No profanity was used until after we had been unfairly kicked out and were understandably upset. That excuse felt made up to cover poor handling on their part.

On the phone, the supervisor added that we were removed not just for profanity, but because “a family complained about you using profanity.” That just sounded like another excuse, especially considering no one mentioned anything to us at the time, and we were never spoken to about our behavior before being removed.

There were multiple other kids in the pool without guardians nearby, some looking even younger than us, around 10 to 14 years old, and none of them were approached or removed. It felt like we were being watched more closely and treated unfairly, as if we were being targeted.

The supervisor also said, “Our staff do tend to walk around to look for wristbands because of people sneaking in.” But that did not apply to us. The same staff member who kicked us out had just given us our wristbands at check-in. That explanation felt irrelevant and like another excuse to justify what happened.

On the way out, the staff member had the audacity to ask me, “Would you like to apologize?” and honestly, I was shocked because I had not done anything wrong. Later, when I brought that up with her supervisor on the phone and asked, “What do I have to apologize for?” the response was, “Common courtesy.” In this situation, I definitely do not feel like I owe an apology. If anything, I deserve one for how we were treated.

The supervisor did agree that her staff “definitely should have given a time period to locate the guardian before kicking you out.” Yet instead of apologizing, she continued to claim we were removed for the use of profanity, even though, again, none was used until after the mistreatment.

I understand the importance of safety policies, but the way this situation was handled from the on-site staff to the supervisor was unprofessional, inconsistent, and completely disrespectful. I am 17 and my friend is 16, and the way they went about this felt really off. They should have waited for our guardian to return before immediately removing us. It feels like they are very discriminatory towards a certain group of people.

Catherine

The pool was a perfect spot to relax — clean, well-kept, and with a great atmosphere. The poolside bar and grill was a pleasant surprise: tasty food, refreshing drinks, and super friendly service. A great way to spend the afternoon!

Rena L.

Family friendly (has baby change table in change room) outdoor heated pool and hot tub. smoothie and food options for lounging by pool. Overall excellent clean pool, not heavily chlorined. My only complaint is it is missing a wood sauna or steam room that many similar facilities would have. Especially if drop in fee is $20/ person!

Joshua N.

When we arrived we were checked in by a worker, male and younger guy. Super helpful and welcoming and he deserves a 5 star.

The price for a 5 day pass was $155 which I thought was expensive.
The young girl the second day was not friendly and my wife had gone there with the our 2 kids to go swimming. She made my wife give her apple watch as collateral for towels which I did not like.

Not the greatest vibes with most of the staff working there but again, the young dude working there was awesome.

I would not recommend this place and I would save your money and go elsewhere.

Debbie P.

This Activity Centre is the best! From friendly knowledgeable staff, to a multitude of excellent gym equipment, cleanliness and safety in mind. Thank you to the staff for providing such an awesome atmosphere.

Ryan Y.

Best money I’ve spent since being on the island. The staff here feels like friends and family. I’ve been coming here almost daily for the last 3 plus months and haven’t had a bad experience yet and I’m a very picky guy. The place is always clean and equipment in working order. They also keep the salt water pool heated year round. Really looking forward to my first summer here!

Justin D.

Easily one of the best gyms in the Victoria Area

Not too crowded, pool and hot tub are an amazing addition!

Brad H.

Really nice & clean boutique gym which also has a separate women's workout gym downstairs from the main upper gym. There's a great outdoor salt water pool & hot tub and towel service.