Fitness Equipment for Edison Johnson Recreation Center Playground

Website

http://www.dukechildrens.org/healthylifestyles

So you’re going to improve your local playground. What’s your great idea?

The playground at Edison Johnson is currently appropriate for children ages 2-8 years. We want to add fitness equipment such as uneven bars, balance bars, and sit-up benches to the playground. These additions would allow the children to develop balance skills and improve their strength, while emphasizing the importance of fitness from a young age. The new equipment would also expand the target age group of the playground to include children up to 18 years and also adults. The fitness equipment would allow older siblings and parents to remain active while at the playground with the kids.

Which local nonprofit, school, or park district will you work with, and how will you work with them to choose a playground for the project?

Bull City Fit (BCF) and Durham Parks and Recreation will partner for the project. BCF, an outreach program of Duke Medical Center, targets obese children in the Durham area. BCF provides free resources to improve participants’ lifestyle including access to cardio equipment, outdoor field space, and cooking/gardening lessons. Specifics of the equipment to be installed will be decided jointly by the BCF participants, Durham Parks and Recreation employees, and regular visitors to Edison Johnson.

How will you involve local volunteers in the playground project?

BCF volunteers lead daily exercise sessions for obese Durham children and their families. Volunteers would facilitate active play using the new fitness equipment on the playgrounds. Additionally, volunteers would create instruction guides and sample workout posters to be displayed next to the new equipment. These guides will illustrate how parents and older siblings can stay active while younger kids use the rest of the playground.

Tell us about the kids that will be using the playground.

Over 20% of Durham’s population is obese. As nearly 30% of Durham families live below the poverty line, many residents do not have the resources to pay for access to expensive exercise facilities. Edison Johnson’s playground is free and extremely popular, especially during the summer; it attracts Durham residents from all over the county. Though the younger children are engaged at the playground, children over about 8 years and adults frequently just sit on the sidelines.

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