Cape Town has designs on fitness

by | Jun 17, 2015 | News | 0 comments

City Parks Department has set up 47 outdoor gyms, making this free facility accessible to a larger number of residents across the city.

Cape Town continues to invest in the health and well-being of residents across the city.

To date, the City Parks Department has set up 47 outdoor gyms in various communities, making this free facility accessible to a larger number of residents across the city. A total of R920 000 was invested in setting up gym facilities in this financial year (2014/15) alone.

Studies have found that obesity is a growing problem in South Africa, with indications that more than 60% of women are overweight or obese. With less than two-thirds of children participating in weekly physical activity, the problem starts in childhood, is left unchecked and therefore continues into adulthood.

Almost two-thirds of adult females and a half of adult males are physically inactive (source: the Heart and Stroke Foundation Study).

‘We care about the well-being of our residents and therefore provide infrastructure and environments that promote healthy living. The provision of outdoor gym equipment in the City’s parks gives adults the opportunity to exercise with their children. These gyms have proven to be very popular and are an effective way of getting the whole family fit and healthy. As a caring city, we want to ensure that everyone can prioritise their health and enjoy time together. We are striving to develop parks and recreational facilities that bring communities together in a shared space with a common goal in mind: to improve their overall fitness levels and physical health,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Special Projects, Alderman Belinda Walker.

The gym pieces have been designed with maximum safety in mind.

The apparatus is robust, weather-proof, colourful, fun, low-maintenance and as vandal-proof as possible. The pieces are suitable for adults of all ages and fitness levels and no previous gym experience is necessary. They were designed with South Africa’s wildlife in mind, reflecting some of the familiar animals within local wildlife parks.

‘We strive to come up with innovative ways to make our parks places where people will want to spend their free time with their families and members of their neighbourhood to build a sense of community.

‘We need to educate the South African public about the risks of an unhealthy lifestyle and being overweight,’ added Alderman Walker.

via Cape Town Green Map

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