Last Updated on December 14, 2018 by cassnetwork
The National Fitness Campaign has identified Logansport as one of 200 cities nationwide that it will fund for outdoor fitness areas with a $30,000 seed contribution.
Mishawaka, which opened its Outdoor Fitness Park earlier this year, is the only other Indiana city to receive the funding. An additional $90,000 will be needed to match the grant, and can be raised through public or private funding.
Mayor Dave Kitchell said he explored the grant in response in part to the town hall meeting earlier this year that focused on community health.
“Diabetes and obesity are serious health concerns for our county and while our Cass County Family Y is renovating its facilities for indoor recreation and fitness, there obviously is a need for our park system to respond with the need for outdoor fitness that promotes a more healthy community,” the mayor said.
Earlier this fall, Parks Administrator Jan Fawley, Parks Department employee Matt Franklin, Councilman Dave Morris and Kitchell visited the Mishawka facility. Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood and his parks administrator hosted the visit.
Among the features with the fitness area are a durable all-weather surface and a cellular phone app that can provide workout information.
Nationwide, there are about 100 fitness parks funded in part through the campaign with the goal of creating an additional 200 next year.
City officials have discussed potential locations for a fitness park locally and identified an area adjoining the Ivy Tech Community College campus and Flory Preserve on the south side as a potential site. Recent improvements to Flory Preserve and the need for more amenities at Ivy Tech have led to discussions with the college. Ivy Tech has agreed to provide grant writing expertise to search for additional funding.
A video with more information about the campaign and fitness parks is available on the Logansport Web site at www.cityoflogansport.org via the Facebook page.
SOURCE: News release from Logansport Mayor Dave Kitchell