Nicholson Park gets outdoor gym

NEW outdoor fitness equipment is being installed by Wollongong City Council in Nicholson Park, Woonona. The new equipment will include an aerobic walker, stretching station, quad extension and pull-down equipment, adding to the fitness equipment already at Wollongong’s Lang Park and Kanahooka’s Lakeside Park.
To help encourage the community to use and enjoy the equipment, Council will hold several free fitness equipment sessions at Nicholson Park, from May 20 to July 8. The sessions will also include a morning tea, prizes, raffles, and giveaways.The sessions will focus on how to get benefits from the equipment and we will have a trained fitness leader on site to explain and demonstrate the exercises you can complete on the equipment.
Sarah Leussink, Council’s Community Development Worker, said there will be demonstrations and morning tea available on eight Tuesdays from May 20.
“We will hold these mornings to encourage people to use and enjoy this new equipment,” she said.
“A trained fitness leader will be on hand to demonstrate how to get the best out of an outdoor equipment session.”
Council has been working with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District to develop a program for this ‘outdoor gym’ to provide opportunities for all people to participate in moderate or vigorous physical activity and muscle strengthening activities.
Majority of older adults report benefits of using the outdoor equipment in terms of physical and psychological health, as well as social connection.The Australian Government’s Department of Health recommends that adults undertake muscle strengthening activities on as least two days a week and accumulate 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week.
NSW Health offers a Get Healthy Service which provides free confidential personal health coaching. The service is telephone-based and provides the expertise and motivation you need to help reach your goals of eating healthy foods, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight. To get started call 1300 806 258, or visit the website.
The free Outdoor Fitness sessions will be held from May 20 to July 8 at 10am to 11.30am at Nicholson Park, Kulgoa Street, Woonona.
For further information, you can contact Council’s Customer Service on (02) 4227 7111.