PORT COQUITLAM - You won’t find admission fees, floor-to-ceiling mirrors or intimidating equipment at Port Coquitlam’s newest fitness facility.
And while the red, yellow and blue equipment may initially be mistaken for a children’s playground, the new Outdoor Fitness Park in Gates Park can provide a full-body resistance-training workout for people of all fitness levels.
With 12 stations, this newest amenity along the Traboulay PoCo Trail is located near the Gates Park tennis courts and parking lot accessed from Wilson Avenue and Reeve Street.
“Aside from encouraging residents to get fit and active, I can also see this becoming a community meeting point,” Mayor Greg Moore said. “Much like people meet at the gym, this is something along our trail system where people can come together, while improving their health.”
The City of Port Coquitlam installed the Outdoor Fitness Park in October, with a $25,000 grant from the Union of BC Municipalities’ Community Health Promotion Fund, $5,000 each from the City and School District 43, and $2,000 from the Port Coquitlam Business Improvement Association.
Installed over wood chips, the Green Gym-brand equipment is weather-resistant, durable, safe and user-friendly. It is endorsed by Participaction Canada and is designed for people age 12 and up, although children under 12 can use it with adult supervision.
There are resistance-training stations for both able-bodied people and those in wheelchairs, including a chest press, lat pull-down, leg press, dip station, leg-raise station, lower-back stretching station, air walker and air skier.
“This provides yet another incentive for people to become and stay physically active – it’s in keeping with the City’s philosophy of promoting a healthy community,” noted Cllr. Michael Wright, chair of the City’s Healthy Community Committee.
The outdoor gym is part of the City’s Active Communities initiative, which encourages residents to adopt an active lifestyle. It removes some of the typical barriers associated with weight training because it is free, accessible, user-friendly and non-intimidating.
After only a couple weeks in use, the equipment is already receiving positive feedback. Shelley Crawford and her husband came across the outdoor gym while cycling the Traboulay PoCo Trail recently. People of all ages were enjoying the equipment, she said.
“We couldn’t resist and had to try them out as well. They were easy to access, solidly built and instantly created a sensation of fun,” she said. “Instead of ‘working out,’ it felt like you were ‘playing’ and that was evident by the laughter and giggles heard throughout the playground.”
Crawford said the equipment wasn’t as intimidating as normal fitness centre circuit equipment, and was easy and smooth to move because it uses resistance rather than weights.
“The City of Port Coquitlam has given its citizens a wonderful gift, which is free, easy and accessible to everyone,” she said.
The grand opening for the Outdoor Fitness Park will take place in the spring.
For more information about the Outdoor Fitness Park and other opportunities to get active, visit www.portcoquitlam.ca or contact Nathan Taylor, Active Communities Coordinator, at 604-927-7983 or taylorn@portcoquitlam.ca.
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