A crash course in recreational activities at Pitt

To all the new Oaklanders looking to earn their stripes in physical activities around campus, you’re in the right place. Finding the space to play a sport or practice a recreational activity can get difficult. Luckily, there are many ways in which Pitt’s campus allows students to thrive in the sports world. 

Schenley Plaza

“Oakland’s Green Oasis” is a one-acre green space sandwiched between the Carnegie and Hillman Libraries known as Schenley Plaza. The former asphalt parking lot is flanked by several restaurants, including Asia Tea House, K Station, The Porch at Schenley and Omar’s Halal Grill. The plaza offers ample room for students to play any games they would play in their yard. Students often bring Spikeball, footballs and baseballs to spend time with friends.

Schenley Park

The aptly named Schenley Bridge, famously covered in padlocks, is the gateway to Schenley Park. The 135-year-old park contains 456 acres of trails, woods and attractions. If students want to take a break from the city, they can easily immerse themselves in nature on the paved and natural trails of Schenley Park. The trails are great for walking, running, biking or any other medium for exploration or exercise.

Flagstaff Hill sits right across from Phipps Conservatory and fulfills a similar role to Schenley Plaza for students. Students often gather to play catch or throw a frisbee.

A big question for new students who love golf is where they will find a place to play in a big city. Schenley Park can calm that fear with the Bob O’Connor Golf Course. The hilly, pull-cart-only course is very affordable and offers equipment rentals. However, a lack of fairways or sandtraps makes the course fairly short. 

For students looking for another place to walk, jog or run, the Schenley Oval Sportsplex offers an eight-lane all-weather track, cross-country trails, two outdoor grass fields and even an ice rink in the winter. The Oval is a popular place for students to play larger football and rugby games, practice lacrosse and soccer or throw frisbee. There are also free-to-use tennis courts that double as outdoor basketball courts. The Schenley Oval is also popular with many club teams considering its wide variety of uses.

Baierl Rec Center

On the middle floor of the Petersen Event Center is the Baierl Rec Center. A popular place for students to exercise, the Baierl Rec Center is the largest gym on campus, measuring 40,000 square feet. Several treadmills, stair masters, exercise bikes and elliptical machines line the large glass window looking to the site of Victory Heights. 

The Baierl Rec Center also has a large free weight area, aerobics practice room, martial arts practice room and Cybex weight machines. 

Trees Hall

The hub for indoor recreational activities, Trees Hall provides students a place for a wide range of activities right behind the Pete. Home to Pitt swimming and diving with its Olympic-size pool, Trees Hall offers designated times and lanes for students to share the pool and swim recreationally. There is also a smaller pool with lanes used for recreational swimming, however, a lifeguard must be on duty. 

Trees Hall houses a dance studio for specific physical education classes and clubs that reserve the space. If the Petersen Event Center gym isn’t the environment a student wants, they can find a smaller gym on the left side of Trees Hall. In the heart of Trees Hall are handball and racquetball courts for students.

A key draw of Trees Hall is the basketball and volleyball courts on the right side of the building. Several physical education classes are held on these courts, but when class isn’t in session, the courts are open to students. It is common for many students to play pickup basketball in the evenings at Trees Hall, especially on Fridays after class. 

Next to the basketball and volleyball courts is a caged-off rock-climbing wall for students. The all-purpose building is also the current gym for Pitt gymnastics to practice until the new Victory Heights sports complex is constructed next to the Pete. 

Students looking to improve their golf game when the weather doesn’t permit them to can use the indoor putting green and driving area. 

Bellefield Hall

The Pittsburgh Historic Landmark known as Bellefield Hall has a swimming pool open to the public and students, making it similar to Trees Hall. There is a locker room connected to the pool as well. For students looking to play basketball, volleyball, badminton or other court sports, Bellefield Hall has a single court upstairs. There is also a small gym with typical gym equipment and free weights. 

Wherever new students want and need to go to practice the sport or activity of their choice, Pitt has them covered with these designated spaces for activity.