Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will soon be the site of the first outdoor fitness court of its kind in the city and state. Parks and Recreation will help lead construction starting mid-May. Tory Miedema, the Sioux Falls park development specialist, said the court will be fully operational in Rotary Park by June 30.
Miedema said the new addition will fill the community’s need for more fitness and wellness opportunities in a beautiful, outdoor space by the Big Sioux River. “Residents of Sioux Falls ranked adult fitness and wellness as a top priority, according our 2020 citizen survey results,” said Miedema. “Youth fitness and wellness programs also scored highly. Our department takes a community-first approach to create system plans. We listen to the community and follow their lead on where to invest in our parks system. In addition, the mayor has been a major proponent of fitness for all ages and has championed the project.”
Miedema said Rotary Park has a recreation trail access point and an open field, making it an ideal place to add the fitness court. It’s location along the recreation trail will also make it a great location for citizens to workout, run or walk together in one of the city’s parks.
Fitness Court Features
The development will include outdoor-grade fitness equipment for functional fitness training from KOMPAN, a commercial playground equipment manufacturer; 28 fitness stations on a court with poured-in-place rubber surfacing; and a free phone app from KOMPAN explaining how to use the equipment while generating and tracking an individual’s workouts.
The following fitness offerings will be featured at the court free to the public:
- Exercise bikes.
- Arm-pedal bike.
- Cross trainer machine.
- Box jump stations.
- Push-up bars.
- Pull-up bars.
- Climbers/monkey bars.
- Kettle bell stations.
- Sit-up/abdominal bench.
- Speed Ladders.
- Agility stations.
Benefits and Tips
Miedema said the new park feature will be a convenient way for residents to get a workout in and live well. “It’s cost-effective,” said Miedema. “There is no need for a gym membership or expensive equipment. This makes fitness more accessible to anyone regardless of their financial situation. Parks and Recreation improves the quality of life for the city of Sioux Falls, and fitness boosts your mood and positively impacts your well-being — especially working out in nature.”
Overall, heading outdoors continues to be one of the biggest trends in the fitness industry. In 2022, Susie Ellis, the CEO of Global Wellness Institute, presented “The Future of Wellness and Fitness” at the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s (IHRSA) trade show.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic turning many to the outdoors, Ellis said there is now an upward trend of urban playgrounds where nature meets wellness in major cities.
For any recreation entity considering adding a similar offering like Sioux Falls’, Miedema said to first find the right location and style for your community.
“In Sioux Falls, we wanted ours to be available to as many of the citizens as possible,” said Miedema. “So, along the recreational trail made the most sense. Having the shelter and playground nearby also helped to give more options to the whole family. We went with a fitness court at this location for those reasons, but you could also do smaller stations along a walking loop.”
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