Meriton Road park is in the running to become Handforth’s answer to LA’s ‘Muscle Beach’ with the borough’s first outdoor gym.
The Friends of Meriton Road have raised almost £17,000 to build an open-air fitness zone, complete with body-strengthening equipment, such as a triple pull-up, big shoulder wheel and a self-weighted rower.
Tracy Bratt, secretary of the group, said: "It’s a fitness zone for anyone to use. We’re hoping to en-courage older people in the community to get out and exercise in the open air.
"It’s aimed at 11-year-olds and upwards. We wanted some kind of equipment which teen-agers could use, but some are more gentle so could be used by the elderly."
Tracy, from Handforth, added: "We’ve got footprints going round the park so we’re hoping that people might follow it and then stop to do a bit of exercise too. We want the whole community to use it."
The fitness zone, which has taken 18 months to organise, includes balance beams, a double air walker and tai chi spinners.
It has been funded by £8,850 grant from Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd (WREN), £5,000 from Cheshire East Council and £3,000 from Manchester Airport Community Proj-ect Scheme.
Coun Andrew Knowles, cabinet member with responsibility for health and wellbeing, said: "We all need to incorporate exercise into our busy lives to stay fit and healthy. This will make it easier."
"This is excellent for adults and it complements the new play area and miniature railway, which is great for children."
Grandmother-of-three Sheila Rovira, vice-chairman of the Friends, has already been using the gym. Fitness enthusiast Sheila, 70, of Ullswater Road, said: "It’s absolutely brilliant. There have been so many people using it already, and now we have a bench there so people can sit nearby."
The gym will be officially opened at 3.30pm tomorrow when experts will show visitors how to use the equipment safely.
