It is located on Father David Bauer Drive, west of Uptown.

The complex contains the Sun Life Financial Arena, a 4,132-seat multi-purpose arena that is home to the Waterloo Siskins and the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks hockey teams, the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks Major Series Lacrosse team, and the Swimplex, a 30m pool that was the city's first municipally-owned indoor pool.

Construction of the $21 million facility began in December 1991 and the Rec Complex opened in September 1993.

[2] While under construction, the site was selected for the 1994 Scott Tournament of Hearts, a Canadian women's curling championship.

[4] The building honours the 69 Waterloo residents killed in the two world wars.