Outdoor exercise equipment project to expand Health Tips

Outdoor exercise equipment project to expand

Will Miamians brave the summer heat to use outdoor rowing machines and elliptical trainers?

They already are, according to city officials, who have spent more than $150,000 installing complete sets of exercise machines in four parks. A fifth is on the way.

The equipment varies from park to park, but generally includes step and twist machines and sit up boards as well as ellipticals and rowers.

All of the equipment in each of the parks is made by the fitness equipment company TriActive and is built to withstand heat and humidity, according to the city. Representatives for the citys Parks Department said the equipment is popular, and residents use it often.

Ive lost 20 pounds since January, said Dennis Wheeler, a Coconut Grove resident who walks about 10 blocks to Kennedy Park to use the machines three or four times a week. Outside is not totally convenient though, because its so damn hot right now. You do break a sweat faster though.

Wheeler said he sees a lot of people using the machines at Kennedy Park before they go to work, around 8:30 a.m. Currently unemployed and job hunting, Wheeler said he uses the machines because he gets a free workout, rather than spending extra money for a pricy gym membership.

$30 a month, thats food when youre unemployed, Wheeler said. Sitting at a desk job-hunting all day, and being over 45, you really need to take care of yourself.

The convenience of a free outdoor gym within walking distance is exactly what the city had in mind when they started installing the equipment. Commissioner Marc Sarnoffs Office spearheaded the initiative about two years ago, after the commissioner reportedly read an article in Mens Fitness Magazine that listed Miami as one of the fattest cities in America.

The installation of the machines, which according to the Parks Department cost about $42,000 per site, was paid for through city funds earmarked to improve quality of life. The goal was to provide a gym that was free and open to the public, at a time when residents may have been forced to forego their gym memberships and tighten their belts.

In addition to Kennedy Park in the Grove, the equipment has been installed in Legion Memorial Park in the Upper East Side, in Douglas Park near Coral Gables and in Margaret Pace Park, in the condominium neighborhood north of downtown.

An installation was also proposed for Merrie Christmas Park in Coconut Grove, but was moved to the Douglas Park location when residents complained the equipment would interfere with childrens play.

At Pace Park, the equipment was paid for by one of the citys community redevelopment agencies, which is supposed to improve the quality of life, public infrastructure and amenities in areas that may have been considered blighted. Pace Park is in the redevelopment areas, although it is now surrounded by luxury condos.

Its pretty popular, said David Karsh, spokesman for the CRA. As soon as we opened in Pace we had a tremendous amount of feedback from the residents who love the park. They take their dog for a walk, drop it off of at home and come back for a workout.

Though the city has not finalized a time table for the fifth installation, in Kenneth Myers Bayside Park, the project seems to be a success. A spokesperson for Commissioner Sarnoffs office said they havent had any reports of vandalism, and none of the equipment has had to be replaced.

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