standard to its measures of public health: whether people live within a half mile of a park. CDC recognition of parks’ poten- tial is just the beginning. “There’s a greater awareness of the connec- tion between better parks and trails and people getting more exercise,” says Adrian Benepe, The Trust for Public Land’s Director of City Park Development. Cities everywhere are working not just to create parks, but to make the ones they have more conducive to outdoor exercise. One way to do that? Bring the gym
to the park. The Trust for Public Land Fitness Zone® program outfits neighborhood parks with durable outdoor workout equipment—every- thing from sit-up benches to station- ary bikes. The simple machines suit
users of varying ages and abilities, and they’re free to use. Plus, Fitness Zones’ proximity to playgrounds al- lows parents to work out while their children play.
An initial study from policy think-
tank RAND Corporation shows that the free equipment encourages people to visit parks more frequently and en- ables them to get more exercise when they do. With Fitness Zones now installed in cities from Los Angeles to Miami, neighborhood parks are an increasingly attractive alternative to the gym—and the couch.
TPL.ORG · 51
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68