While all of the three locations can be used Trail ready for use by the community, an official opening of the trail will be held at 11am on November 3 at the Footbridge.
After successfully being chosen in the Victorian-first community grants initiative, Pick My Project, the trail’s first piece of outdoor fitness equipment was installed at Apex Park on Marine Parade in mid 2018.
The fitness station at Apex Park included an aerobic walker, leg lift, dip bar, step up or push up bar, vault bar and agility ladder and was part of a plan to install multiple fitness stations along the town’s existing walking path, which follows North Arm on Marine Parade and Cunninghame Arm on the Esplanade.
After further planning, community feedback and work with the East Gippsland Shire, three locations – Evett Park, the iconic Lakes Entrance Footbridge and Apex Park – were chosen to become fitness hubs.
At the hubs, which is within walking distance of each other, there is a variety of equipment, targeting specific fitness groups of muscles that are easy and safe to use.
Incorporated into the Apex Park fitness hub is a multi bench that offers a range of exercise options that promote the development of arm strengthening, which aids in improving independent living. Dips and leg raises are also included within this node, offering a range of exercise options including upper strength development.
Roman rings allow for a variety of workout options, encouraging upper body and core strengthening.
A calisthenics style training configuration at the Evett Park space includes box jumps to engage the user’s legs through explosive movement and pull ups and gorilla bars to strengthen the upper body. There are also dynamic items such as leg and chest presses and pull downs.
The focus of the Footbridge node is to ensure a space for multigenerational use to encourage interaction by all ages in the community.
The inclusion of step ups encourages slower moving cardiovascular workout, while strengthening the main leg muscles. Also included in this node is an elliptical trainer, which develops cardiovascular fitness while promoting both upper and low body strength and coordination.
All exercise equipment incorporates useful and unique signage, providing guidance to users. Each sign has a QR code that links to a specific instructional video to help every exerciser understand how to gain the greatest benefit from the item.
The surface at all three sites was constructed using specifically designed matts that use a four-layers system to ensure each user’s safety.
The Lakes Entrance Fitness Trail working committee thanked the community for its support during the process and for already making the most of the trail.
“I went down the street recently at about 4pm and there were people all over the one at Evett Park. I came back the other way and there were cars parked there and older people were using it,” working committee member, Gayle Bolding, said.
“There are only a few of us on the committee and we have pushed damn hard. We are really proud of it.
“There have been trips backwards and forwards to Melbourne. Initially my husband and I went down to the factory and we realised it was going to be damn good stuff. It has marine quality paint on it so it won’t go rusty or anything like that.”
PICTURED: The Footbridge site is one of three fitness hubs around Lakes Entrance that form the recently completed Lakes Entrance Fitness Trail.
