A new fitness course has been installed along the greenway in Southern Community Park, thanks to a collaboration among the Town of Chapel Hill and Southern Village. Southern Village was instrumental in encompassing contributions from Market Street Association, Southern Village Home Owners Association, Southern Village Apartments and Hyatt Place.
The course includes the following equipment by Barrs Recreation and ExoFit Outdoor Fitness: an Air Walker, Single Skier, Sit Up Bench, Fitness Bike, Row Machine, Leg Press, Chest/Lat Combo, Pushup/Dip Combo, Doubles Pull Up Bars, and Arm/Foot Wheel. The twenty thousand dollar project was funded by the Town of Chapel Hill with half of the funding coming from Southern Village Homeowners Association, Market Street Association, Southern Village Apartments and Hyatt Place.
“This project is a great example of collaboration between the Town of Chapel Hill and Southern Village for helping to bring another valuable amenity to Southern Community Park”, said Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Director Jim Orr. “The Fitness Trail allows an individual to engage in low impact exercises as they walk along the park’s greenway system. This is another project that promotes our commitment to enhancing community heath.”
Southern Village developer D.R. Bryan says he was pleased at the level of public involvement in the project. “I think whenever we can be a part of increasing physical activity and interaction, we should do so,” he said. “I’m thrilled to see this new fitness course.”
The outdoor fitness course on the Fan Branch Trail is currently open for public use. Each piece of equipment is designed to be unique from the other, and is highlighted by its placement in the natural setting of the greenway. The equipment can be used in a variety of ways by adults and children of all ages. Everyone in the community is encouraged to use the new fitness course.
The Fitness course runs along the southern portion of the Fan Branch Trail and greenway and begins at the trail head at Scrogg’s Elementary School and continues into Southern Community Park and around the multi-use soccer fields.
To access the greenway, two parking lots exist at Southern Community Park, one off Sumac Road and the main entrance to the park, and another off Dogwood Acres Drive. Of course, residents of Southern Village, or visitors staying at the Hyatt Place, have direct access to Fan Branch Trail, via multiple access points along the trail.
Visit www.chapelhillparks.org and click on Greenways, to access the Fan Branch trail guide to see pictures of the new fitness equipment and map of the course.