Index

Hamilton Recreation Department:
Contract User Information
Bennett Center

Welcome to the Bennett Center at Gordon College.
The Bennett Center is Gordon’s award-winning athletics and recreation facility at this private, four-year, nondenominational, Christian liberal arts college. Our 1,700 students, as well as several hundred of our faculty, staff, alumni, and their families, have been heavily involved in our intercollegiate athletics and campus recreation programs since the building was opened in 1996.

All registrations are taken at the Hamilton Recreation Department in Hamilton.
Identification Required
The Bennett Center is a controlled-access facility. A picture ID card and your Contract User pass is required for you to enter the facility at each visit.

Schedule and Hours
Hours are posted in the Bennett facility. Hours change based on the College schedule; check frequently on the Web at www.gordon.edu/campus_life/bennett

Your Contract Privileges
1.   Adult Lap Swim program—Pool use during designated lap swim times in our pool on weekdays and use of the student locker room area for changing. It does not include use of other areas of the facility. It does not include use on weekends, by minors (under 18), or the inclusion of guests. Please bring your own towel.
2. Water Exercise program—Structured group activity in our pool Tues./Thurs. during designated class sessions. Use of the student locker areas for changing. Please bring your own towel.
3. Walking Club—Walking on our one-tenth-mile indoor track Mon./Wed./Fri., 10 a.m.–noon. In the winter months we recommend you bring a second pair of walking shoes. Walking Club pass is free and is available at Hamilton Recreation Department.

   While we are glad to offer limited use of our facility in these programs, we also remind you that at any given point the facility is also being used for classes, campus recreation and intercollegiate athletics. Straying into other areas of the facility is not only beyond the privileges of your contracted use but may also be disruptive or even dangerous. Violations of contracted use will result in termination of your privileges without refund by the College.

General Facility Information and Hours
Phone: 978.867.4830
Web: www.gordon.edu/campus_life/bennett

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a full membership at the Bennett Center?
We do not offer general recreational memberships to the public. Gordon College was confronted with a lawsuit by several local fitness and health clubs during construction of the Bennett Center. They were worried about the potential threat to their commercial fitness enterprises if we developed general-use individual and family memberships.

Why does Gordon limit access to the facility?
Our goal is to operate our campus recreation program for the benefit of Gordon-related individuals and families, and not be a public health club. We restrict use of our facility areas by contract groups, and we do not permit general use of the facility by individuals who do not have a relationship with the College. We do this in order to maximize the opportunity for our 2,000+ campus recreation users and in order that our NCAA Division III student-athletes will have unhindered access to the facility and our programs. Where time and space are available within our campus goals, we have been able to permit contracted use of the Bennett Center, and we hope our great facility provides some enjoyment for local residents.

What else can local residents do at the Bennett Center?
We offer rock gym climbing on weekday nights, which is open to the public. We make spaces available in our children’s swim lessons program in the spring, summer and fall, offering small-group and private lessons. For information about any of these programs, please give us a call.

Where should I park?
The Bennett Center has limited parking. Our expectation is that our contract users should make use of all available campus parking for their visit, even if this means a walk to the Bennett Center from another lot. Please park in designated spaces and not on curbs, grass areas, fire lanes or reserved spaces.

Contact Information

Maggie Whitesell, Director
Hamilton Recreation Department
978.468.2178