Seniors can stay active at Fenelon play park
A cool and grey day didn’t dampen spirits at the Fenelon Falls Seniors Play Park as organizers unveiled the latest additions to the facility on May 30.
Penni Holdham organized the event to draw attention to the installation which she calls, “the first of its kind in Canada. There is one in Peterborough, but theirs doesn’t have the same kind of low-impact activities this one does.”
“Play Park” might be a misleading label. The space is actually designed for seniors who are looking to improve their range of motion and balance. The park is described as “a unique exercise-focused installation designed to foster Agility, Flexibility and Mobility.” That happens through a series of thirteen well-structured exercise stations geared to a senior demographic. Boasting a smaller footprint than any of the newest subdivision backyards in Lindsay, the installation should appeal to anyone looking for a place to rehabilitate hips, knees and shoulders without buying and storing any equipment. And, doing it outside.
The installation includes a soft ground surface comprised of over 2000 ground-up car tires which, along with the many grip bars and supports built into the system, provide a sense of comfort and safety.
Local physiotherapist, David Evans was asked to provide input to the design in the early stages, and he is impressed with the finished product. “The Seniors Play Park is a great asset to the community. I encourage people to explore its value for recreational exercise. It is a common finding to see age-related loss of strength and loss of range of motion, and deteriorating balance. The activities outlined at the park are good way to address these issues.”
Holdham adds that “no city tax money was used to build the park since we successfully applied for a Trillium Grant. The latest additions were again done without tax dollars.”
Paid for with a New Horizons federal grant, those new additions include signage that explains how to use the various stations and what benefits are derived from each. They also had pamphlets designed and printed giving the history of the project, general fitness information, and detailed advice on how to warm-up and cool-down, including why it is more important as we age.
Open 24 hours a day, the Seniors Play Park is in the Lloyd Kelly Parkette at 16 Francis St, in the southeast corner of the public parking lot adjacent to the Red Apple store. Despite the name, all ages are welcome.
This looks like a great project and it is very impressive that it was all done with Trillium and New Horizons grants even if the “misleading label” “plays into” the negative stereotype of the anile boomer blamed for the pandemic and condemned during the recent election as responsible for all the struggles of youth. In these days of frequent name changes for political reasons, of course, that is hardly a barrier to success. I wonder how used it will be during winter but perhaps another grant could pay for some sort of overhang to keep it ice free. Well done, Penni Holdham et al.!!