Great Lakes Athletic Club Introduce
Introduction / Overview
For residents across Lake Orion and the surrounding communities in Michigan, the Great Lakes Athletic Club (GLAC) has long been a key local resource for health and recreation. Now under the operation of the Orion Township Parks & Recreation, this large-scale facility is evolving into a comprehensive community center while maintaining its core identity as a fitness hub. GLAC offers a robust selection of physical activities, specialized training, and aquatic services designed to support the well-being of the entire family—from dedicated athletes to children learning to swim.
The club's mission is to provide an accessible and diverse range of services, and a core component of its value is the sheer volume of amenities, including expansive fitness areas, multiple sports courts, and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. While recent community feedback has highlighted concerns regarding facility maintenance, it is important to note the significant context: the club is currently in the process of a major renovation and redesign effort following its purchase by Orion Township. This ongoing investment signifies a commitment to creating a "state-of-the-art community recreation center" with improved facilities, accessibility, and amenities that will cater to all ages and interests in Michigan for years to come. The club continues to operate its wide variety of classes and services, with dedicated staff ensuring a pathway to fitness for every member.
Location and Accessibility
Great Lakes Athletic Club is conveniently situated in Lake Orion, making it a central and easy-to-reach location for residents across Oakland County. The physical address is 3800 S Baldwin Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48359, USA. Its location on a main thoroughfare ensures that consistent gym visits and participation in programs fit seamlessly into a busy Michigan lifestyle.
A significant highlight of the facility is its commitment to accessibility for all members of the Michigan community. The club features a Wheelchair accessible entrance, a dedicated Wheelchair accessible parking lot, and a Wheelchair accessible restroom. These features ensure that the club can be utilized by individuals of all mobility levels. The club operates on a Membership required basis and accepts both Credit cards and Debit cards for payments, offering modern convenience for dues and other charges. As an added benefit for family fitness, the environment is also explicitly noted as Good for kids, with services and spaces available for younger members. All services are offered as Onsite services.
Services Offered
GLAC offers an extensive and comprehensive suite of fitness and aquatic programs, catering to a broad demographic from competitive swimmers to individuals seeking stress relief through Yoga.
- Personal Training: A staff of degreed and certified professionals is available to provide one-on-one coaching, helping members create personalized, strategic plans to reach specific health and fitness goals.
- Aerobics: A wide variety of group Aerobics classes are offered, designed to improve cardiovascular health and coordination in a fun, high-energy setting. This includes water aerobics in the pool area.
- Cycling: High-intensity indoor Cycling (Spin) classes provide a low-impact, challenging workout to boost endurance and torch calories.
- Boot camp classes: Group exercise programs that mix traditional calisthenics and bodyweight exercises with interval training and strength work, delivered in an intense format to maximize results.
- Yoga Studio: Dedicated space and instruction for Yoga, providing an essential component for improving flexibility, balance, core strength, and mental focus, complementing more intensive fitness regimens.
- Run coaching: Specialized guidance for runners of all levels, utilizing the club’s facilities, which include an indoor track, to improve form, speed, and endurance.
- Swim lessons (Swim 101): Structured lessons for children and adults through programs like Swim 101, utilizing the club's excellent aquatic facilities to teach water safety and swimming proficiency.
- Sports training: Dedicated training programs focused on improving the specific physical demands of various sports, enhancing athletic performance, strength, and injury prevention.
Features / Highlights
The scope of the facilities at Great Lakes Athletic Club is one of its most defining characteristics, offering multiple areas for diverse fitness activities.
- Dual Aquatic Center: The facility includes a large Swimming pool complex, featuring both a saltwater-chlorinated indoor pool (six 25-yard lanes) and a seasonal outdoor pool with zero-depth entry, a water slide, and diving areas, making it a hub for aquatic fitness and family recreation.
- Diverse Sports Courts: Members have access to a full Basketball court and a Volleyball court for individual practice, team games, and league play, providing opportunities for functional fitness and social interaction.
- Wellness Amenities: Both the men's and women's locker rooms are equipped with a Sauna and steam rooms, providing excellent resources for post-workout recovery, muscle relaxation, and stress relief.
- Community-Focused Operation: The club is now operated by Orion Township Parks & Recreation, signifying a long-term commitment to community benefit and ongoing facility improvement as it transitions into a modern community recreation center.
- Connectivity and Comfort: Amenities include clean Restroom facilities and complimentary Wi-Fi, allowing members to stay connected or stream music during their workouts.
Contact Information
To learn more about membership rates, class schedules, or the ongoing facility updates at Lake Orion's community fitness center, please reach out to the Great Lakes Athletic Club using the information provided below.
Address: 3800 S Baldwin Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48359, USA
Phone: (248) 393-3085
Mobile Phone: +1 248-393-3085
What is Worth Choosing
Choosing Great Lakes Athletic Club is an investment in a fitness center with deep roots and a promising future in the Michigan community. While the facility is currently undergoing a significant and long-awaited transformation—which temporarily impacts some areas—the commitment to quality programming and expansive amenities remains evident. For a family in the Lake Orion area, the sheer range of services, from the dual aquatic center and Basketball court to specialized Swim lessons and Youth programs, provides unparalleled value.
The fitness center is ideal for those who value comprehensive facilities over a brand-new appearance, understanding that major renovations, like the current indoor pool project and restructuring of internal spaces, are being undertaken to ensure a high-quality experience for years to come. The opportunity to participate in over 80 weekly Aerobics, Cycling, and Yoga classes, or to work with a certified Personal training coach, offers all the resources necessary to achieve serious fitness goals. As a community asset managed by Orion Township, you can be confident that your membership supports a facility dedicated to serving the diverse health and recreation needs of the entire Michigan family.
Great Lakes Athletic Club Services
Fitness center
- Aerobics
- Cycling
- Personal training
- Boot camp classes
- Run coaching
- Sports training
- Swim lessons
- Yoga Studio
Great Lakes Athletic Club Details
Service options
- Onsite services
- Online classes
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
Offerings
- Sauna
Amenities
- Basketball court
- Restroom
- Swimming pool
- Volleyball court
- Wi-Fi
Planning
- Membership required
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
Great Lakes Athletic Club Photos










Great Lakes Athletic Club Location
Great Lakes Athletic Club
3800 S Baldwin Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48359, USA
Great Lakes Athletic Club Reviews
poolsaunaequipmenttowelslocker roomdaycarebasketball courtssteam roomrunning trackracquetball
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1This gym is terrible, probably the worst one that I've ever been to. I signed up with my family, thinking it would be great, but not even 2 weeks in, we already canceled. The price is outrageous for how beat up and ran down the facility is. I was a member at the original before this one opened, then came over when it originally opened, so I know it used to be really good. There is plenty of equipment, mostly all of the original stuff, that's not the problem, the members all just sit on the equipment playing on their phones, so doing a workout in a reasonable amount of time is impossible, its more of a social hour, plus nobody really re-racks their weights. Most of the rooms are all closed or under construction, a ton of lights burnt out, now the pool is also closed, its kind of embarrassing, especially with the rate that they charge. I would avoid this place, unless you want to be disappointed.
August 01 · Nathan ArmstrongIt's not so much the facility that deserves this rating, it's the lack of common courtesy of the members. You shouldn't have to wait 20 minutes to get on a machine because someone thinks it's more important to spend time on their phone than to exercise! And then to get up and not wipe it down! Come on people! Signs are clearly posted that say members must wipe down the equipment when finished.
April 02 · Jim MillerREAD THIS BEFORE JOINING...UPDATED MAY 2025: Still been going about 6 days a week for the past year. The only thing they fixed is the sauna/70 lb dumbbells. Stil no 70 barbell or ez bar. This is from the perspective of a weight lifter/bodybuilder w/ a focus on the recovery aspects of this "health club".Everything annoying/terrible in no order:-Lockers are usually filled with dirt, hair or dust.-showers are rarely cleaned... Very common to find hairballs throughout-usually atleast 2 paper towel dispensers clogged(today there was 5 total clogged on a humid day)-they're catering heavily towards old people... From awful group classes to way too many handicap spaces in their newly resurfaced parking lot full of bumps and potholes-Took away racquetball courts w/ about a month warning.-Always way too hot(in spring/summer)-Steamroom is never clean and smells awful-I feel like Everytime they fix a cable... 2 more break... Most are sticky and need to be greased up or something for smooth motion.-now that it's under construction... Even noise cancelling headphones won't keep your workout enjoyable .. was in the weight room and all I could hear the whole 30 minute squat session was a drill/saw through the vibrating walls. All while I have high end noise cancelling headphones and music up loud-Got rid of 1/4 of the basketball courts for daycare???-Pool has been closed over a week for a glass breaking in the pool(seems like it should be fixed in 2 days MAYBE)-rockwall only has 1/4 of the knobs up... No sign of opening up the entire Rockwall-sauna is always full of smelly old people(should be required to take a shower or something before coming in)-there was no option presented to have our monthly price lowered due to the aggressive construction or lack of amenities-STILL NO TOWEL COMPANY-they have multiple staff sitting doing nothing in the front everyday.. delegate some work to these workers instead of paying them to do nothing beneficialSeems like this gym is going downhill fast. won't be staying past summer if the price isn't adjusted for this horrendous gymORIGINAL: Been going here for 5 months nearly 6 days a week. In that time they still haven't gotten a towel company meaning you have to bring your own towel for the showers/steam room etc. Sauna is broken or not hot every other day. They did upgrade the unit maybe 2 months ago.... To which it still seems to not be hot daily. The rockwall is never open with no signs of opening. The weight room is about the only good thing about this gym. Although, for some reason they prioritize fixing/updating goofy machines instead of getting a set of 70 lb dumbbells, 70 lb ez curl, and 70 pound straight bar. Outdoor pool and pool are great. Except that they have a hazardous rope you can hit while on diving board. Locker room is occasionally clean. Will update this review if anything actually starts getting fixed. Unfortunately, there isn't another comparable gym in the area.
May 15 · RileyGood family gymNice outdoor pool
August 08 · Jeremy ShockeyTerrible. Have been a long time member 15ish years. Covid destroyed the place. Now it’s a rec center that charges the same rates as the athletic club. Was willing to stick it out with the new owners, but charging 75$ a month for a recreation center is absurd. I paid in full for a year to give them the best chance at success but it’s the same nonsense over and over. You can all but guarantee that either the sauna or steam room won’t be working upon your visit. They have totally scrapped the towel service. At one point there was poop in the floor in the shower. Kids treating the place like a jungle gym. For instance I walked in to the locker room and saw 5 young kids punching the Gatorade machine. Why is a group of 13 year olds at gym unattended? Well I guess because it’s a rec center and not an athletic club anymore. It’s such a shame the government forces a shut down and the gym never recovered. Now it’s owned by Orion township (kinda funny the govt shuts it down and then buys it) I will never go back to this place and wouldn’t ever recommend it to anyone. Which is a shame because it used to be one of my favorite places
January 29 · Sean Wise
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