Outdoor Fitness parks Installs
Artist ImpressionRichmond’s Saxton Field bulks up with outdoor gym equipment
Lois Aitkenhead uses surfboard equipment at the new Saxton Field outdoor fitness station developed by the Lioness Club …
MARTIN DE RUYTER
Lois Aitkenhead uses surfboard equipment at the new Saxton Field outdoor fitness station developed by the Lioness Club of Nelson.
A circular pattern has appeared on Saxton Field, but there’s nothing strange about the outdoor fitness stations that has popped up in Richmond.
The $107,000 fitness circuit upgrade was a joint venture by the Nelson Lioness Club, Nelson City and Tasman District councils to offer everyone an outdoor workout area that’s free.
Nelson Lioness Club member Lois Aitkenhead is 76-years-old. At the recent unveiling the surfboard equipment caught her fancy.
She could really feel it working on her hips, she said.
“You swing your legs sideways on it and you can really feel it. I loved that one.” She said she would use it regularly and suspected there were a lot of people who planned do the same.
READ MORE:
* New gym equipment on Maitai walkway
Aitkenhead said the outdoor fitness station “catered for everyone” and could be a place for people who preferred to work out outdoors, those who could not afford gym memberships, or pass the time for anyone who wandered past Saxton Field parks.
“There are all sorts of things. High steppers, exercisers. They’ve all got flash names,” she said.
The Lioness Club managed to raise $25,000 which Aitkenhead said was a “pretty good” effort from the 25 members. The rest was fully funded by the councils.
It’s much like the Tahunanui outdoor fitness station, however not spread out across a long track. It’s the same equipment, but updated.
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The range of equipment sits on a circular concrete slab with shade cloths to cover the potentially sweaty users from the harshness of New Zealand’s sun.
“Most of our Lioness ladies were getting on [the equipment]. Most of us are pensioners and all of us found it was stuff that we could use. It was user friendly.”
But there is also plenty of room for the younger generation and gym junkies who can utilise the pull-up bars and press-up benches.
It has not taken very long for the outdoor gym to eventuate. Discussions started in August last year and some of the equipment arrived by Christmas.
Go Zone Maitai River
News and Events
Community efforts sees Fit-n-Free Community Gym in Havelock
31st May 2016
Fit-n-Free Community Gym committee member Mary Michet enjoys the outdoor gym equipment.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/80290397/community-efforts-sees-fitnfree-community-gym-in-havelock
Havelock’s outdoor gym is set to open after a year of fundraising by the community.
The outdoor Fit-n-Free Community Gym is set to officially open next month, but those wanting to exercise on the equipment can already do so with all but one of the gym machines in place.
Fit-n-Free Community Gym committee member Tracy Webby says the support and fundraising efforts of the Havelock and Pelorus area residents to raise the $32,000 needed for the outdoor gym has been “incredible”.
“What’s amazing is that in less than 12 months we had raised more than enough. We were lucky enough to have three grants, but people in this town and in the Pelorus area have been amazing,” she says.
READ MORE:
* Outdoor gym in Havelock secures funding to order equipment
* Idea for Havelock gym springs to life
* New outdoor fitness area gets a workout
“We’ve had our battles, as you do in every community, but what’s been really interesting is the people that you least expected coming to help. People that couldn’t make it to the functions we held but wrote a cheque out every time we had a function.
“An elderly lady in Blenheim would send some money to us every so often because she just thought it was the most amazing thing.”
Seven of the eight pieces of gym equipment are already in place at the Havelock Domain, and Tracy says they are just waiting on the final piece along with a park bench and a drinking fountain.
She says the idea for an outdoor gym came about after she moved to the small town and noticed there was no gym.
“I said to my friend ‘for Havelock to be perfect for me, a gym would be great’. It’s just too far to travel into Blenheim every day.
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“For Havelock, the cost of getting set up wth an indoor gym and the ongoing costs to keep it running were going to be an issue. We didn’t want to charge, we wanted something that was available to everybody, regardless of their income.
“That’s when we decided on an outdoor gym.”
The community raised over $10,000 with karaoke nights, a scrap metal drive, and grants.
“For the down days we’ve had, the good days have just been so much better.”
The gym will be opened on June 26 with a ceremony at the Havelock Domain at 2.30pm.
– The Marlborough Express
3 Comments
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GingerNinja5246 days ago
Had a play on a few of these in Nelson. Pretty good idea, unfortunately for me they are a little below my strength level, but definitely a good idea for the casual walker.
Reply
+1
Jim Bob6 days ago
These are prevalent oversea along popular walking routes. particularly in Japan.
Reply
+3
wahinetoa626 days ago
such a great idea many towns and cities need this
Cambridge Fitness Park Opens
31st May 2016
An outdoor fitness park was offically opened in Cambridge last week. Pictured is Waipa Mayor Jim Mylchreest cutting the …
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/life-style/79965436/outdoor-fitness-park-officially-opened
An outdoor fitness park was officially opened in Cambridge last week. Pictured is Waipa Mayor Jim Mylchreest cutting the ribbon with project manager Robyn Clarke.
A new free-to-use fitness park was opened in Cambridge on May 12 by Waipa District Mayor Jim Mylchreest.
The initiative stems from the Cambridge Rotary Club, to which project manager Robyn Clark belongs. She is also the active and well co-ordinator for Sport Waikato.
She saw it as a way for people of Cambridge improve their health and fitness by having access to free equipment.
“The overriding objective of the project was to facilitate the increase in fitness and wellbeing within our community by making opportunities for physical activity accessible, attractive, fun and free to all users.
“We wanted to provide a unique outdoor fitness concept to the Waipa community,” she said.
The park is sited on Thornton Rd near the rose garden, and the tree coverage gives a sense of privacy.
“The team considered numerous locations around Cambridge to locate the fitness park. We needed somewhere central, easy to access for all members of the community, with a modest profile but not too hidden away.”
The project has been in the pipeline for more than two years. She and the other project managers, Tim Hale and John Mason, researched similar facilities around the country.
The site offers seven machines aimed at building cardio, strength, and stretching.
The total cost of the park was $70,000. Rotary Cambridge still has $60,000 left to put into the community this year.
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Mayor Jim Mylchreest said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. People expect this standard of equipment these days, it’s no longer just sit ups and push ups,” he said.
The equipment is low impact and is on a rubber safety mat.
“With the elite facilities we have in Cambridge, this just adds to that and attracts people to the community,” he said.
The council will provide ongoing maintenance and care of the park.
Outdoor Fitness equipment for Moutain View High School
14th September 2015
Mountainview High School is stepping up the fitness
10569160
FITNESS FUN: Testing out the new fitness equipment installed around the Mountainview High School playing field are, from left, PTA member Fiona Hardie, principal Mark Jones, groundskeeper Brent Coe, mayor Damon Odey and head of physical education Chris Phillips.
Mountainview High School is stepping up the fitness stakes with the installation of new outdoor gym equipment.
Five new outdoor fitness stations, similar to the ones at Caroline Bay, are available for use by students and the local community.
The equipment was installed last term and had already been well used by students, but was given an official opening by Timaru District Mayor Damon Odey yesterday.
The equipment and installation cost a total of $17,000 and was funded by the school’s Parent Teacher Association from money raised through PTA projects, including the school fair.
PTA member Fiona Hardie said there had been many suggestions as to what the money should be used for, but the equipment had been decided on after a request from head of physical education Chris Phillips.
Phillips said the equipment was ideal to use for warming up before winter sports and giving the students something to do during break times.
He said the equipment was also well used by the special needs unit students at the school.
Principal Mark Jones said the wonderful thing about the equipment was because the school had an open site, anyone in the community was welcome to use it.
The equipment was made in New Zealand and is “as close to being vandal-proof” as possible.
Jones said the open nature of the school had been widely accepted by the community and it had very little vandalism.
– The Timaru Herald
New Outdoor Gym Maitai River Nelson
14th September 2015
New gym equipment on Maitai walkway
Maitai River Nelson
City of Nelson Civic Trust chairman Roger Nicholson and Nelson City Councillor Gaile Noonan use the new outdoor gym equipment near the Collingwood St bridge on the lower Maitai River, paid for by the civic trust and the city council.
City of Nelson Civic Trust chairman Roger Nicholson and Nelson City Councillor Gaile Noonan use the new outdoor gym equipment near the Collingwood St bridge on the lower Maitai River, paid for by the civic trust and the city council.
Martin de Ruyter
City of Nelson Civic Trust chairman Roger Nicholson and Nelson City Councillor Gaile Noonan use the new outdoor gym equipment near the Collingwood St bridge on the lower Maitai River, paid for by the civic trust and the city council.
Kids enjoying the school holidays were some of the first to use the new equipment installed by the Maitai walkway upstream from the Collingwood Street bridge.
“I was rapt when I came around the corner and the kids were all over it,” said Nelson City councillor Gaile Noonan.
Noonan said she was an avid user of the gym equipment at Tahunanui Beach and had suggested the idea to the council.
“I couldn’t believe we didn’t have one in the city,” said Noonan.
With lots of different people using the walkway, the equipment was there for runners and anyone else who might be interested in using it, she said.
City of Nelson Civic Trust chairperson Roger Nicholson said they had received a funding request for the gym equipment, they looked into it and thought the timing was right.
The trust funded three of the machines and the council contributed for the fourth.
“It’s for everybody to use,” said Nicholson. “It has been put in a place where it is easy to get at.”
The machines were sourced through Nelson based Devine Fitness Equipment and are flood proof so they will not be affected when the Maitai river rises.
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The City of Nelson Civic Trust has spent more than half a million dollars on projects in Nelson since it began in 1973.
They aim to provide things around Nelson that the council doesn’t have money to do, the ‘nice-to-haves’, said Nicholson.
“Most of the money comes from bequests and an astute management of what we have.”
The trust is currently working on a couple of other big projects.
“We are always looking out for new ideas and new things,” said Nicholson.
– Stuff
Outdoor gym a hit with Punters
28th July 2014
Takaro park outdoor gym
Takaro park outdoor gym. Giving it a go is left Ajaay Hirawani & Amos Hadfield
PHOTO: FAITH SUTHERLAND/FAIRFAX
Losing that winter coat and getting in shape for summer has never been easier with the installation of Palmerston North’s first free outdoor gym at Takaro Park.
Fitness fanatics put the equipment to the test on the weekend and were pleased with the results.
Ajaay Hirawani, 22, and Amos Hadfield, 22, were at the park on Saturday, pulling themselves up on the bars with ease.
The duo, who head down to the park most weekends “to jam” on the playground and use the monkey bars to work their biceps and triceps, said they would be back most days to use it. “This is exactly what we wanted,” Hirawani said. “I think I’ll be here all night.”
The project, funded by Palmerston North City Council, has eight pieces of exercise equipment.
The $40,000 project arose after submissions on the city council’s draft Annual Plan two years ago calling for the placement of more outdoor gear to make it easier for adults to exercise without the expense of gym membership.
“Every park needs them – pullups and ab boards,” Hadfield said.
Hirawani wants outdoor gyms all over the city, especially in The Square.
“Then that would really be city fitness, fitness in the city.”
Takaro Park was selected because it was close to facilities, including a new toilet, a playground for children accompanying adults who were exercising, and there was good visibility from the road without being too exposed.
The gear was bought from Devine Fitness Equipment in Nelson.
Council external contracts and housing officer Lynne McMillan said staff had considered a range of options and locations before settling on Takaro Park.
She said some other locations considered were in neighbourhoods where more people already had access to gyms, and the means to get to them. She hoped lighting could be installed next winter so more people could use it in the evenings.
[Kelsey Wilkie, Manawatu Standard, 28/07/2014
JBP
Sounds like a hit. Maybe the council could install some equipment in a park in the eastern part of the city?
New Outdoor Fitness Area at Tahunanui, Nelson
8th January 2013
Tahunanui Outdoor Fitness Area
New outdoor fitness area gets a workout
It’s not quite California’s Muscle Beach, but a new attraction at Tahunanui is aiming to give Nelsonians a free way to keep fit outdoors.
The Tahunanui Outdoor Fitness Area, opened shortly before Christmas, has nine fitness machines provided by Devine Fitness Equipment, with another three on the way, installed using $48,000 raised by the Nelson Lioness Club.
Joe Boden of Christchurch said his two daughters had been on it almost every day since they arrived in Nelson on Boxing Day.
Daughter Amy, 9, was a gymnast, so the fitness area was a good way for her to stay in condition before she went to a competition in Australia this month.
It was also good for him to keep in shape after doing nothing all year, Mr Boden said.
Amy said she enjoyed the cross-trainer the most.
“It’s better because you get a bit more of a workout,” she said.
Sister Elaine, 11, agreed. “It’s really fun,” she said.
Nelson Lioness Club member Lois Aitkenhead said fundraising took about a year, with funds coming from garage sales, catering, truffle and jam sales, with $33,000 coming from a grant from the Nelson City Council’s Physical Activity Committee.
The group had wanted to give something a little bit different back to the city.
“We saw a need for something like that. A lot of people can’t afford to go to a gym, but this is free, it’s safe, it’s good for people. We hope a wide range of people will enjoy it.”
She had used it already, taking her grandchildren along for a workout.
“It’s actually quite good, you don’t feel quite so silly when you go on, when you have some kids with you.
[Adam Roberts, The Nelson Mail, 8/1/2013]