Haya El Nasser reports on the latest trend in park design: free public 'fitness parks' that feature exercise equipment "built to withstand the rigor of weather vandalism."
Have you ever stumbled across one of the fitness trails that popped up across America in the 1960s and 70s? Well it seems as though that concept has gotten a 21st century revamp with the growth in "Fitness Zones" being led by the Trust for Public Land. Seen as "the latest weapon in fighting the nation's obesity epidemic," notes El Nasser, "[c]lusters of traditional fitness equipment from elliptical machines to leg press and sit-up benches are being installed in city parks, often in poorer neighborhoods that may not have access to healthful options."
The Trust has been instrumental in promoting the zones under a three-year-old program by helping cities raise private funds and donating their own money for their contruction. Florida and California are home to dozens of the outdoor gyms, but they're catching on in other areas with 'fitness deserts.'"
"'They tend to lend themselves to warmer-weather cities, but they're also being installed in cold-weather cities' such as Newark, Denver and Minneapolis," says Adrian Benepe, senior vice president and director of city park development for the Trust.
FULL STORY: 'Fitness parks' catch on in cities

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)