Venue

Bag Check

For the safety and comfort of all our guests, all bags are subject to search. On convocation ceremony days, all persons entering the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) facility will be subject to a bag search for prohibited items. Objects deemed prohibited by security will not be returned. 

Prohibited items: 

  • Posters, banners, or items of clothing that contain hate speech or threats 
  • Signs or flags affixed to a post or pole 
  • Fireworks of any kind including, but not limited to, flares, smoke bombs, incendiary devices and pyrotechnics 
  • Alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs or harmful chemicals 
  • Aerosol cans or pressurized containers 
  • Professional camera equipment, including but not limited to, tripods, battery packs, large commercial video cameras 
  • Glass bottles or containers 
  • Noisemakers, including, but not limited to, megaphones, bullhorns, whistles and horns 
  • Laser pointers 
  • Remote controlled aircraft or unmanned aircraft systems (drones) 
  • Hover-boards 
  • Selfie sticks 
  • Beach balls or other inflatable items 
  • Animals (excluding service or support animals) 
  • Weapons of any kind including, but not limited to, knives, pepper spray, stun guns, concealed weapons and firearms 
  • Any other object deemed unsatisfactory by security, or the management of the University of Waterloo are strictly prohibited in the facility. 
Spring Convocation wayfinding map

Convocation Venue

Ceremonies are held in the main gymnasium of the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) at the University of Waterloo campus. All graduands and guests will enter from the PAC East entrance. Graduands will be directed to pick-up their gowns at the graduate check-in located in Studio 1 in the Student Life Centre (SLC) expansion. Receptions following the ceremonies will be held on the BMH Green.

Parking

On-campus parking is free in lots M, R, N and X during convocation; permits are not required for convocation guests. Signs will be posted one to two weeks before convocation and every effort will be made to direct guests to parking areas as close as possible to the site of the ceremony.

Note: Parking is not available close to the building. Guests with mobility concerns can be dropped off at the entrance of the Student Life Centre expansion by entering William Tutte Way off of Ring Road. The closest parking lot is over 200m away. 

Information for drivers of electric cars can be found here.

Ceremony Venue

Ceremony seating venue map

Washroom facilities

Prior to entering the ceremony venue, washrooms are available in M3 and Health EXP. 

Washroom facilities are located on the second floor of the PAC. Accessible washrooms are located at the east entrance of PAC, room 2109A on the second floor and room 1906 on the first floor.

Exiting the main gymnasium

Participants will leave the main gymnasium down the centre aisle in the following order:

  1. Platform party (the chancellor, the president, and the faculty procession)
  2. Graduates (in the same order as they entered)
  3. General audience

We share the air

The University of Waterloo is a scent-free environment. Due to severe allergens, please do not bring tulips or lilies into the convocation venue. Please also avoid the use of perfume, scented hairspray, cologne and other scented products. Scented products can aggravate health problems for some people, especially those with asthma, allergies and other medical conditions.