New Fitness Court opened to the public

The city unveiled a new Fitness Court Wednesday for public use alongside the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway near the Stimson Avenue Bridge.

The City of Athens partnered with the National Fitness Campaign, or NFC, last year to build a new public Fitness Court. 

Taking advantage of the current plans to put in the new Athens Fire Department, or AFD, headquarters, funds were merged to build both. With the help of a $35,000 grant from the NFC, a $185,000 project cost was reduced to $150,000.

The exercise equipment received from the NFC at the end of 2023 was stored until the concrete pad could be poured and cured. 

The contractors at Pepper Construction lined up the timing so the fire station and the Fitness Court could be poured at the same time. From there, the court’s equipment was installed by the NFC’s own approved contractors in only a week.

The court is home to professional-grade gym equipment and is laid out in a station-like grid. It’s accessible to the public every day of the year.

The Fitness Court offers seven stations for adults aged 14 and older of all fitness levels, according to a City Council press release.

Users can also download the free Fitness Court App to change the outdoor gym into a digital experience.

Service-Safety Director Andy Stone said the Fitness Court is a dual-use facility. Stone explained that due to its proximity to the fire station and inclusion in the station’s project budget, the court will serve as an exercise space for the public and AFD.

“It’s close enough to the station that those who are on shift at the time can go out and use it while they’re on shift and still have immediate access to their apparatus to respond to calls,” Stone said.

In the same ‘dual-use’ sense, the newly constructed boat launch attached to the fire station is for both AFD and citizens. 

When the Hocking River floods, AFD can send out its boats right from the station, and when the river is steady, the public can use it to launch kayaks.

Stone hopes the additions will make the public feel it is their fire station, as the citizens approved the levy that allowed the project to go through.

Members of the City Council, AFD and Athens Police Department, or APD, gathered Wednesday morning to cut the ceremonial ribbon and test the court out.

In a “Battle of the Badges,” Athens County Fire Chief Robert Rymer went head to head against Athens Police’s Lt. Joseph McGrew in a series of athletic challenges that the court provided. Lt. McGrew won the challenge.

At the ceremony’s commencement, Athens City Council President Sam Crowl spoke, thanking the NFC, APD, AFD and City Council members who helped the project come together.

“This Fitness Court is a wonderful example of partnership across the public and private sectors to help break down barriers to accessible community programming,” Crowl said. “We encourage our community to use this Fitness Court as part of their daily healthy habits.”

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