Springfield, Ill. (WCIA) – The Springfield Park District hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday for the new fitness field at Comer Cox Park on Martin Luther King Drive.
The Fitness Court is an outdoor body weight gym designed by the National Fitness Campaign. The court is designed to host up to 30 participants at a time working on different skills in specific areas and can design workouts using the free Fitness Court app.
“Our goal is to build healthy communities by making outdoor fitness an essential part of people’s lives,” said Mitch Menaged, founder of the National Fitness Campaign, in a video on their website.
Springfield’s Fitness Court is sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of IL. BCBS-IL is offering $750,000 in grants to municipalities in Illinois, with the goal of bringing 15 fitness courts to the state over the next 18 months, according to the National Fitness Campaign’s website.
“These fitness courts make it easy for anyone at any fitness level to get a good workout outdoors, connect with neighbors and stay healthy,” said Katie Cangemi, senior program officer for community investment at BCBS-IL.
The fitness court joins two basketball courts, two tennis courts, two playgrounds and picnic areas already in Comer Cox Park. This is the third fitness field in the area, following those in Lincoln and Jerseyville.
Comer Cox Park is free to the public and open from sunrise to sunset.
