Welcome to Your Workout!

You can learn more information about our facility procedures and policies, along with helpful resources that can help you navigate our My Wellness member portal.

Facility Updates

Last updated: November 1, 2024

Visit this page to keep up-to-date on important facility announcements.

Visit Guidelines

Guests must provide a photo ID to enter the facility.
Online reservations for Group Fitness classes and pool lanes are available 72 hours in advance through the My Wellness portal.
Reservations are available over the phone and in person 48 hours in advance through the Courtesy Desk.
Register for virtual classes up to a week in advance on the My Wellness member portal. Click on the class in the My Upcoming Classes window to join. Please note the “Click to Join” button will not be displayed until 10 minutes before start time.
Pool lane reservations are limited to one hour per day. Please note that pool reservations are in high demand. If you can no longer attend a reservation time please cancel your reservation using our My Wellness portal. Additionally, please refrain from registering for more than one aqua group fitness class per day.
Steam Rooms, the West Therapy Pool, Dry Sauna and Whirlpools are available without a reservation. Members and guests can utilize the steam rooms, whirlpools and dry sauna for up to 15 minutes. The East Therapy Pool is reserved for personal training and Group Aquatic programming only.
When attending classes that use equipment please try to arrive a couple minutes early to set up and wipe down your equipment before the class starts.
Wipe down and put away your equipment after use.
Free parking is available to members in the Galter Life Center parking lot on Francisco Ave. Additional parking is located in the adjacent Swedish Hospital Parking Garage. Get a validated Parking Garage ticket at the Courtesy Desk for free parking in the garage.

Helpful Resources

Click on the links below for step-by-step instructions on some of the most frequently used features of our My Wellness member portal.

Facility Policies

Notice must be given by the 20th of the month prior to when a hold or cancellation is being requested. Please notify us of changes to your membership or health status (e.g. pregnancy, diagnosed illness, etc.) by contacting the Membership Office in person, phone or email. Please note that a signature from the primary member may be required, in some circumstances.

Medical Hold

If a physician recommends that you abstain from exercise, making you unable to utilize your membership, we can put your membership on a medical hold. The medical hold will take effect as of the date we receive written notification from your physician. A membership can be placed on medical hold for a maximum of six months.

Memberships cannot be placed on medical hold for any less than one month. We will begin charging your account after the hold period is over. We ask that you submit written approval from your physician once you are able to resume exercising. There is no fee charged for putting a membership on medical hold or during the medical hold. If on a two-person membership, and one person is on medical hold, the active member will pay the single person rate.

Temporary Hold

A membership can be placed on temporary hold for a maximum of four months. There will be a hold fee of $10 per person. If on a two-person membership, and one person is on hold, the active member will pay the single person rate. Temporary holds can only start the first day of a month. Memberships cannot be placed on temporary hold for any less than a month. Please note that retroactive refunds will not be issued once monthly dues have been paid.

Refunds are given via credit card or Galter Life Center credit only. No cash or check refunds are given.

Program Refunds: Requests for program refunds must be made before the third week of class. All Aquatics class changes/cancellations will incur a $10 service charge. If the class has not begun, a full refund will be given. If sessions have already occurred and it is before the third week of class, the refund will be reduced by the prorated value of the classes that have occurred. Galter Life Center reserves the right to cancel a fee-based program at any time. In the event of program cancellation, participant will be contacted by staff and issued an appropriate refund.
Service Refunds: If no sessions have been used, a full refund will be given. If sessions have been used, the refund will be reduced by the cost of the sessions used
Cancellation Policy for Services: 24-hour notice must be given prior to the scheduled service or the sessions is forfeited. Participants must have the service on account prior to booking.

Fitness Floor

Limit your time on any piece of equipment. If others are waiting, take turns between sets. Members may not reserve or claim any equipment you’re not actively using.
Clean up your area. Wipe down equipment and mats, return weights and other accessories to designated storage areas.
No food on the Fitness Floor.
Please adhere to all mobile phone policies while on the Fitness Floor.

Mobile Phone Policy
We are not responsible for any damage to your phone caused by water or heat. Please take necessary precautions to protect your device. To ensure the safety, privacy and comfort of our members, talking on mobile phones is prohibited throughout our facility except in designated areas like the lobby and near the Fitness Desk. We do however encourage you to be mindful of other users of the facility while talking on your phone and keep the conversation minimal and at an appropriate level. Speaker phone and video chatting are prohibited. Mobile phones may be used as a listening device while on the exercise equipment and fitness floor. Selfies, photos and videos may be taken while on the fitness floor with prior staff approval. No other members/users of the facility may be seen in the photo/video without consent. The use of mobile phones for any reason is completely prohibited in the locker rooms and in fitness classes.

Locker Rooms
Lockers are provided for your convenience and may be used while you are present at Galter LifeCenter. The Club is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Leave your valuables at home. Items left in lockers overnight will be removed. All cell phone usage is prohibited.

Zero Tolerance Policy
To ensure everyone feels respected and valued, we kindly ask all members to adhere to our policies designed to maintain a welcoming atmosphere. This includes zero tolerance for any form of hate speech and aggressive or discriminatory behavior toward staff or other members or guests. Threatening behavior will result in terminated membership privileges.

Policies

1. Pool lane reservations are limited to one hour per day. Please note that pool reservations are in high demand. If you can no longer attend a reservation time please cancel your reservation using our My Wellness portal. Additionally, please refrain from registering for more than one aqua group fitness class per day.

2. For participants attending the water classes, please be aware:

Reservations are required and are available up to 72 hours in advance.

Please arrive on time for classes; if you are not present on the pool deck 5 minutes after the class start time your spot may be forfeited to a waitlist participant.

Stay through the entire class—if that is not possible please consult with the instructor.

Be respectful to the instructor and others participating by keeping conversations to a minimum while the class is in session.

Be respectful of other participants’ personal space – always be prepared to share.

3. Shower before entering the pool. It is highly recommended by the Illinois Department of Health and a policy of Galter Life Center that all persons shall take a soap shower before entering any of the pools. Please plan your schedule to accommodate this final step before using the pool.

4. Wear proper swim attire. You must be in swimming apparel. No street clothes are allowed in the pool. Clothing such as cut-offs, gym shorts and underwear is not permitted as swimwear. Swimwear should not have been worn for exercising immediately prior to pool use as the clothing can create an unhealthy swimming environment. All clothing must be colorfast and lightweight material suitable for swimwear, such as Lycra, Spandex or nylon.

5. Heat Safety. Heat therapy can be beneficial to one’s ability to recover and relieve sore muscles. It can increase blood flow, detoxify your body and help you to loosen up and relax. However, despite its benefits, over-exposure to heat is often the number one cause of injury.

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends using heat therapy, such as a sauna, steam room or whirlpool, for no more than 15 minutes at one time. If you wish to continue past that point, take a break for at least five minutes so that your core body temperature has time to drop. If at any time you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint, immediately move to a cooler area.

If you have any of the following conditions it is not recommend that you use the steam room, whirlpool or sauna: High blood pressure, heart problems, recent heart attack or bypass surgery, currently pregnant (at any stage), under 16 years of age, diabetic, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you have any of these conditions, be sure to speak with and get clearance from your physician before using these facilities.

6. Be safe and respectful in the sauna. Do not pour water on the electrical equipment at any time. Failure to comply will result in terminated membership privileges.

7. Zero Tolerance Policy: To ensure everyone feels respected and valued, we kindly ask all members to adhere to our policies designed to maintain a welcoming atmosphere. This includes zero tolerance for any form of hate speech, and aggressive or discriminatory behavior toward staff or other members or guests. Threatening behavior will result in terminated membership privileges.

8. The East Therapy Pool is reserved for personal training and Group Aquatic programming only.

9. We are not responsible for any damage to your phone caused by water or heat. Please take necessary precautions to protect your device.

Pool Etiquette

Please be prepared to share. Our pools, the largest of which has only four lanes, are here to serve all of our thousands of members and guests. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for everyone to be able to exercise and put into action their own Personal Fitness Strategy.
When swimming laps, the general policy is to circle swim in a counter-clockwise direction. The only exception is when there are two swimmers together in a lane and both of them agree to split the lane in half. When joining any lane, always be sure to alert the other swimmers in the lane and confirm they are aware of your presence.
Please be respectful of others. Refrain from boisterous activity, creating noise or using a lane in such a way that may disrupt other members. We also want to be sure to respect our staff whose role is to serve you, the member. Pool attendants and class instructors are very familiar with pool policies and class guidelines and we ask that all patrons follow their requests and directions.
Please do not spit. Although the pool has chemicals to disinfect and a filtration system to clear the water, we still ask that people refrain from spitting in the pool area.
Due to excessive heat in the sauna please be mindful of your attire. For your safety we recommend light, breathable clothing. If you use the pools immediately before or after the sauna you must be in swim attire.

To learn more about our membership options and current promotions, please contact a Membership Representative at 773-878-9936, ext. 7308, email membership@schosp.org or fax 773-907-7486.

"I owe my good health to Galter Life Center. Since I joined, I've lost weight and improved my health all-around. The entire Galter experience promotes well-being, from the bright, airy facility to the friendly, supporting, inspiring staff. My wife and I have a basement full of cardio equipment, but I would never relinquish my Galter membership. That's how important it is to me." - Rick