Gym-cum-leisure park concept a big hit in city

Tiruchi city, which is still considered as an entertainment-starved city due to lack of infrastructure to accommodate picnickers with families and friends, is slowly but steadily getting ready to loose this tag with the Tiruchi City Corporation embarking on a project to set up open gyms with leisure equipment in different parts of the city.

When the city’s first open gym was established at Puthur near the K. Abishekapuram zonal office a few weeks ago, there were not many takers for it. But within a few days the gym has a steady stream of enthusiasts.

Since it has many user friendly equipment like thigh exercisers, push and pull chair and play equipment for children, the user account has swelled gradually. Around 500 persons including women, children and elders visit the gym regularly.

On Sunday, the Corporation opened its second open gym-cum-leisure park near St. John's Vestry School at Cantonment.

A sum of Rs. 45 lakh has been spent for the refurbished park. Tourism Minister Vellamandi N. Nataraja, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare Minister S. Valarmathi inaugurated the park in the presence of Corporation Commissioner N. Ravichandran.

The park, that has a number of trees, has many equipment including elliptical exerciser, single pole rowing, chest press, Tai Chi wheel, big wheel, AB trainer, twister, pull up bar, parallel up bar, Roman rings and other fitness equipment. A footpath has also been provided to facilitate the morning and evening walkers.

A mini amphitheatre has also been set up at the park with a seating capacity of 75 persons, enabling small groups to conduct cultural programmes, entertainment shows and sports events. Among all, landscaping has turned out to be the most attractive part of the park.

Within two hours since it was opened for public, the park attracted more than 300 visitors on Sunday evening.

Corporation Commissioner Ravichandran told The Hindu that the park had a number of provisions to engage the visitors for two to three hours.

The open gym equipment were ideal for women, children and elders. It had facility to conduct open air cultural programmes. It has also been decided to open 10 more open gym parks in the city. Identification of land has begun.

Source