Council secures £25,000 for outdoor equipment

Oct 28 2009 By Polly Manser

FITNESS equipment normally seen in public parks in Australasia is to likely installed in a public place in Beaconsfield next year.

The town council's finances and general resources committee agreed last week to ring fence £25,000 from reserves to buy open air gym equipment in a bid to provide an outdoor activity that everyone from from children to pensioners can enjoy.

Councillors feel that while there is plenty of play equipment for younger children in Beaconsfield there is little for older children and teenagers to do. It would also like to help the elderly to keep fit and socialise at the same time.

Andy Kime, is director of Caloo, one of several companies which has started selling outdoor gym equipment in the UK in the last two years.

He said: "It's a new concept here in the UK, the vast majority of the pieces we've sold so far have gone to Asia.

"It's the same as in the gym but outdoors, and it doesn't use electricity, the resistance is against your own body weight. And of course it doesn't cost anything to use.

"They are great fun. My children are 12, ten and eight and if we go to look at some of the equipment we've installed I can't get them off. They are very suitable for senior citizens as well. They are becoming very popular in schools. Although whether it's cool enough for a 16 or 17 year old to do I'm not sure."

Equipment sold by Caloo includes a leg press, cross rider, chest press, shoulder press and tai chi wheel.

Councillor Deborah Sanders said: "This sort of equipment would be ideal for children as a leisure activity and could also be used by adult groups during the day. If we get healthier children, healthier adults and a social meeting place for all ages, that's true community engagement."