The outdoor gyms built by The Trust for Public Land’s Fitness ZonesTM
Program have been
such a success in metro Los Angeles that TPL is now bringing them to the Sunshine State. Installed in partnership with local commu- nities and with support from foundations and TPL donors, the all-weather exercise gear will soon be helping to improve health and fitness in St. Petersburg, Lake Worth, and Miami. Fitness Zones are located in public parks,
often in neighborhoods where opportunities for exercise are scarce and residents cannot afford private gym fees. The goal is to increase exercise and address the nation’s growing epi- demic of obesity and related health problems—improving health and ultimately saving health-care dollars. The Trust for Public Land installed the first five L.A.
Fitness Zones in 2007 and has since brought their number to 29 in low-income neighborhoods across Los Angeles County.
The exercise equipment is similar to what you might find in a private gym but tougher, to resist weather and vandalism, and appro- priate for use by youth and adults. Recently researchers from the
RAND Corporation and San Diego State University published the results of a study of 12 Trust for Public Land Fitness Zones in Los Angeles. They concluded that Fitness Zones
are a cost-effective way to get people to exercise more, particularly when the equip- ment is easily accessible and located close to densely settled neighborhoods. Key support for the Fitness Zones
program in Florida is coming from the MetLife Founda- tion, Health Foundation of South Florida, Quantum Foundation, The Miami Foundation, and Wells Fargo. For more information and to view a video on Los Angeles Fitness Zones, go to tpl.org/fitnesszones.