South-side Okotoks residents and students at St. John Paul II Collegiate are being provided the opportunity to work out in the park.
A new outdoor fitness park was installed in the field behind the school in July, which is accessible to both students and public.
“This is going to be great for the kids at the school and it’s also open to the community, so we want the community to get involved and use the equipment too,” said Maureen MacLennan, facilities manager for Christ the Redeemer School Division (CSRD).
After applying for a Community Initiatives Program grant and receiving partial funding for the fitness park, the school division approached the Town and local businesses for the remaining funds.
Town council voted in favour of supporting the fitness park in December 2014 and contributed $15,000 towards the project.
“It fit into the social wellness framework of the Town by providing free access to recreation and fitness,” said Okotoks community services director Susan Laurin.
When CSRD approached Ben Bjorge at Bow Mark Paving in Okotoks, he was happy to help develop the concrete pad.
“I spoke to the owner, Sean McArthur, and he is a big supporter of sports in Okotoks, so he was behind it too,” said Bjorge. “So we contributed $10,000 in kind toward the asphalt pad.”
The concrete base measures 230 square feet and holds 15 pieces of static equipment without a lot of moveable parts, which MacLennan says will minimize maintenance and potential damage.
The stationary equipment lends itself to stretching and isometric-style exercises, such as pull-ups, squats, balancing moves, steps, and jumps.
Okotoks parks manager Christa Michailuck is happy to see a fitness park on the south side of the town.
“We have two outdoor fitness parks already on the north side of town, so this provides a good outdoor facility for south side residents,” she said.
Michailuck said all of the outdoor fitness parks in Okotoks are intended to be non-programmed, to promote easier access for the public.
Outside of school hours, the equipment will operate on a first-come, first-served basis and the Town will not hold classes or schedule usage for the fitness park.
The main difference between the park at St. JP II Collegiate and the ones in Riverside Park and Sheep River Park is that the equipment is not spread out through the field.
“Our other locations are fitness trails, with pieces of equipment along the way, but the one at the school is centralized on one large concrete pad,” said Michailuck.
While CSRD will be responsible for the overall maintenance of the fitness park at St. JP II Collegiate, Michailuck says the Town will be willing to lend a hand if necessary.
For Laurin, the installation of the fitness park at the school is mutually beneficial for students, who will learn to use the equipment and develop life-long skills and for residents, who can use the park for free.
“We are happy and excited to partner with Christ the Redeemer on the project,” Laurin said. “It’s definitely a win-win situation.”
