Outdoor Fitness Equipment Maintenance

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Apr 012013
 

Close up photo of outdoor fitness equipment joints and bearings

This is a summary of reports from a small sampling of cities and towns that have had outdoor fitness equipment areas installed in their parks or public spaces. The sample includes responses from outdoor gyms in a variety of climates from tropical to sub-arctic; and outdoor gyms that have been in place for a range of time frames from less than one year to three years.

In general, reports are that the outdoor fitness equipment requires very little maintenance. The primary task is lubricating the moving parts on a regular basis, and re-tightening seats and foot pads. Regular cleaning or wipe down of the equipment was also reported as a routine task because it keeps the outdoor gym looking new and inviting. Many of the respondents said they included these routine tasks with their regular playground maintenance schedules and that the outdoor fitness equipment maintenance tasks are very similar to playground maintenance. Continue reading »

Outdoor Fitness Equipment Success Stories from Parks Professionals

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Mar 172013
 

Outdoor Fitness Equipment (Adult Playground) in SpainI recently posted a question on two parks and recreation discussion boards on LinkedIn. The question was, “Does anyone have outdoor fitness equipment in their parks?” Although I did not get a truckload of responses, the ones I did receive were indicative of the popularity of outdoor fitness equipment.

The majority of responses were from outside the United States, including West Midlands, UK; Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Québec and Nova Scotia, Canada; and Adelaide and Perth, Australia. Based on these responses, our English speaking cousins are well ahead of the US in the installation and provision of outdoor fitness equipment in their public parks. In general, the people who responded from outside the United States have had outdoor fitness equipment in their parks for 3 or more years. They have learned that it is very popular with seniors in their communities. The equipment is also well used by parents and grandparents when installed around children’s playgrounds. And several have included programming to teach people how to use the equipment for their greatest benefit. Continue reading »

Privatization in Local Government Parks

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Mar 032011
 
Man in the distance between trees with holding a net with a long handle. He is standing on the bank of a pond and cleaning the pond with the net.

Public Domain Photo

Author: Mike Axson

Across America local parks and recreation agencies are struggling with diminishing budgets. Service reductions and closure of entire parks is a looming specter in some areas. Because it is increasingly difficult to operate parks under most current models, more efficient methods need to be explored. National trends are showing that some of the more promising models involve some level of privatization. This might range from the use of concessionaires for some retail activities, to contracts for such things as mowing and cleaning of facilities, to full blown contract management of operations.

This trend is meeting with mixed reviews and most published information on the subject is full of misinformation and political rhetoric. Local park units considering privatized park services need to first understand that each park system is different, and each presents different opportunities and difficulties. It is not practical to use a model that works for a large state park system for a small county park system that has a very different set of dynamics.

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Latest Parks & Recreation Trend: Outdoor Gyms Spark Physical Activity!

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Dec 132010
 

Outdoor fitness equipment installed in a park Man using shoulder wheel station in park

 

 

 

 

 

 

These days everywhere we look, the obesity epidemic is staring back at us. The evidence is compelling, the implications are scary. And it’s not just in the U.S.   All over the world there is increasing concern to lessen the incidence of diabetes, heart disease and other serious illness. Experts agree that poor eating habits and physical inactivity are the major culprits contributing to today’s surge in obesity–and over-the-top presence of life threatening diseases.  Adding fuel to the fire, health care costs continue to spiral out of control even though our system treats just a fraction of those in need.

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Golf Course Gets Greener with Bio Filtration Wash Pad

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Jul 302010
 

Photograph of wash pad with filtering plants and bio swale area

Photo by Carrie Crisan

Author: Carrie Crisan

Once upon a time, there was a young woman who was cooking supper for her new husband and she wanted it to be just right, like her mother always cooked…  Here is where my story picks up.  Will the young lady do what her mother always did, and her mother before her, and her mother before her, or will she question what always was to see if it still makes sense?  It is so easy to continue doing things the way we always did.  But each time we need to replace something, whether it is a program, a building, or a piece of equipment, we have an opportunity to question whether the practices we are using are best practices and do they still make sense.

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Healthy Community Success Stories: Leading from the Top

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Jul 012010
 

A healthy community has at its core, people who care; including public service providers, businesses, philanthropists, and citizens.  As a recreation professional serving in a county system and now a city system, I have had the privilege of working with all the aforementioned people to raise awareness, educate, guide, lead, and witness personal, social, and emotional growth in others.  I have been part of improving my community in many ways, and I have witnessed others doing the same.

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Do You Live in a Healthy Community? How Can You Tell?

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Jun 142010
 

Illustration of a Healthy Community

Why is it that “Healthy Community” seems to be such a huge buzzword these days? Everywhere I turn there is something about initiatives to make our communities healthier. It seems like it is almost as popular as “Green”. There must be some truth to the idea that whatever you focus on grows in your experience. Having been introduced to the concept of healthy communities only a couple years ago, maintaining my interest, and now writing a blog, “Healthy Community” is everywhere in my experience.

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