An outdoor, user-friendly, digitally-connected gym is coming to New Lenox

A free way for people of all ages to attain fitness at their own pace is coming to New Lenox.

The New Lenox Park District recently poured the concrete pad for a new, digitally-connected outdoor Fitness Court at Haven Avenue and Gear Drive.

Once the concrete cures, in about 28 days, the park district will install the tile pads, said Jason Braglia, deputy director of recreation for the park district. When complete, the Fitness Court, the actual, trademarked name of the outdoor gym, will meansure 36-by-36-feet, he said.

“Our goal is to open before Memorial Day,” Braglia said.

For 40 years, the National Fitness Campaign has helped to “fund, build and activate the Fitness Court” in various communities across the U.S., according to the National Fitness Campaign website.

The Fitness Court will feature seven training stations that focus on seven movements person can perform in seven minutes: core, squat, push, lunge, pull, agility and bend, according to the website.

No free weights or weightlifting equipment is involved, Braglia said. “People use their own body weight and strength to do these types of activities.”

Braglia said the park district was awarded a $25,000 grant in July from the National Fitness Campaign toward this health initiative.

Silver Cross Hospital donated another $50,000 toward the project. Braglia said the park district reached out to Silver Cross because it felt the Fitness Court initiative fit into the hospital’s mission of community, health care and wellness.

Ruth Colby, president and chief executive officer of Silver Cross Hospital, agreed.

“It’s a perfect fit, and we’re proud to be a sponsor,” Colby said in a news release from the park district.

The village of New Lenox also contributed $50,000. Part of that donation went toward preparing the area for the concrete pad, Braglia said.

Braglia said he felt an outdoor fitness court made sense with people seeking more outdoor activities since the pandemic. The Fitness Court is also a “user-friendly” way to promote fitness, he said.

“We don’t have our own facility,” Braglia said. “So this is one thing we can offer to the community.”

For information about the Fitness Court, visit nationalfitnesscampaign.com and newlenoxparks.org.