The newly installed Green Gym at the Civic Centre is proving to be a rather popular spot, if the first week of unofficial use is any indication.
However, it would seem that the participation rate between dedicated athletes and young kids looking for a playground seems to be weighted in favour of the kids.
If Sunday was any indication, there may be a message for the city; perhaps that we need a few more playgrounds in the city.
By far so far, the majority of the people making use of all that shiny new equipment has been under the age of ten, with a number of the exercise stations resembling more of a merry go round or a see saw than anything of use for a fitness regimen.
Much has been made of the number of playgrounds around the city that have been removed over the last few years, owing to safety concerns, so it’s going to be interesting to see how that issue is resolved if youngsters end up using the Green Gym equipment for purposes other than the actual design may call for. Of particular concern could be the amount of children that seem to be using the newly installed equipment without a lot of supervision, a recipe for trouble one would think.
Still the outdoor Green Gym concept, by its definition, is one that is and should be open to all, and if in the end the place just becomes a giant playground, well one suspects that’s just the way that things will go.
Somehow though if the goal is better participation in a dedicated fitness plan, there may be a disappointment at the Rec Department.
It’s just a hunch, but we suspect that anyone truly dedicated to a physical fitness regimen on the new equipment, is probably not going to be willing to wait for their turn to work the merry go round or sit down at the see-saw er, resistance station…
However, it would seem that the participation rate between dedicated athletes and young kids looking for a playground seems to be weighted in favour of the kids.
If Sunday was any indication, there may be a message for the city; perhaps that we need a few more playgrounds in the city.
By far so far, the majority of the people making use of all that shiny new equipment has been under the age of ten, with a number of the exercise stations resembling more of a merry go round or a see saw than anything of use for a fitness regimen.
Much has been made of the number of playgrounds around the city that have been removed over the last few years, owing to safety concerns, so it’s going to be interesting to see how that issue is resolved if youngsters end up using the Green Gym equipment for purposes other than the actual design may call for. Of particular concern could be the amount of children that seem to be using the newly installed equipment without a lot of supervision, a recipe for trouble one would think.
Still the outdoor Green Gym concept, by its definition, is one that is and should be open to all, and if in the end the place just becomes a giant playground, well one suspects that’s just the way that things will go.
Somehow though if the goal is better participation in a dedicated fitness plan, there may be a disappointment at the Rec Department.
It’s just a hunch, but we suspect that anyone truly dedicated to a physical fitness regimen on the new equipment, is probably not going to be willing to wait for their turn to work the merry go round or sit down at the see-saw er, resistance station…
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