FORT CAVAZOS — Top commanders of III Armored Corps and Fort Cavazos broke ground on a new family-friendly outdoor fitness park on post Wednesday, just outside the Abrams Physical Fitness Center by 58th Street.
“This moment marks a significant milestone for ‘Team Cavazos’ and the Army,” garrison commander Col. Lakicia Stokes said before the ceremony. “It symbolizes not only our commitment to fitness, but also our dedication to innovation, readiness and community well-being.”
Stokes joined Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral, III Armored Corps commander, along with Command Sgt. Major John McDwyer, garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Loyd Rhoades and representatives of MWR and the park’s designers in a ceremony breaking ground at the site.
Summer Inwood, the chief of sports, fitness and aquatics at Fort Cavazos MWR, said this park would be the first of its kind across the U.S. Army, adding that it would bring a new dimension to soldier fitness.
“Army regulations really kind of prohibit children to accompany parents or spouses or active-duty (service members) into the fitness facilities, so we have to really be creative and look for outdoor spaces to where we can accommodate the need,” Inwood said. “We will be able to provide a really great training modality — several modalities, in fact, depending on what you want to do — whether it be functional fitness, crossfit style. … All of this will be accompanied by the ability to bring your child in a safe environment.”
The park is designed by Kompan, a Danish company specializing in playground and outdoor fitness equipment. Fitness areas will include spots for cardio and strength workouts as well as a playground for kids.
Brad Pittam, who represented Kompan at the ceremony, said the playground and fitness park would be a “monumental” change of a space that is not fully utilized. An older basketball court formerly occupied the area where the new park will be.
Funding for the project came from the Army’s Installation Management Command, which invested $2 million in the design and construction. Work is expected to be completed near the end of January, with a ribbon-cutting to come the following month.
