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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Get fit for free at Castelnau Recreation Ground
January 17, 2010 11:04 AM
• AN outdoor gym has been permanently installed in Barnes by Richmond Council, for use by residents, following the success of a free six month trial last year.
The 'SportPoint' is located at the Castelnau recreation ground and is available for use, for free, during the hours the area is open. The nine-piece gym includes a bench press, pectoral press, T-bar, leg press, abdominal curl bench and pull up bar.
The decision to buy the equipment will be good news for younger people in the area who have previously raised concerns at the lack of facilities for older children in the area.
Cllr Geoff Acton, Richmond Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "We've listened to people who have said this equipment is a good idea and that it will give teenagers something to do after school and in the holidays. Now we've bought the SportPoint, which we got for a reduced price, it will be a permanent fixture at the recreation ground, helping people stay fit and enjoy the outdoors. It will bring 'added value' to Castelnau Recreation Ground and, coupled with other improvements there, I'm confident families and everyone else will continue to get the most out of the area in the future. This is a good example of the Council's £4.7 million Parks Improvement Fund money being well used. More than 90 per cent of residents are proud of the borough's parks and we work incredibly hard to ensure high standards are maintained. Projects like this will ensure our open spaces remain among the best in London for years to come."
Cllr Liz Jaeger, Cabinet Member for Youth, Culture and Leisure, said: "This equipment will allow many more people to get fit for free, which is good news for those who cannot afford to pay to join a gym, or simply prefer to exercise outdoors. The SportPoint kit is designed specifically for working out and exercise and adds a welcome new dimension to the park."
The trial found the equipment was popular with young and older people of all levels of fitness. During the trial, people were able to text their opinions of the equipment to the Council. This information was used when deciding to buy the sport point. The purchase is part of work over the past year to improve the recreation ground which has seen all paths resurfaced and widened to accommodate buggies and wheelchairs. Drainage was also improved to stop the large puddles building up and old paving around the paddling pool was replaced with heritage gravel. The Washington Road gates have been painted and new litter bins installed. A new picnic table by the paddling pool has also been put in place as has a new see-saw in the playground. A basketball and football court has been installed in the dog free area so the park can be used by older teenagers without younger children worrying about being hit by balls
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