Narrabri Rotarians and a handful of volunteer helpers laboured under the hot summer sun over the weekend to help the community become healthier.
On the shore of Narrabri lake, Rotary has laid the groundwork for a three station outdoor exercise circuit, to be used free by people of all ages to improve their fitness and well-being.
The three stations will be set up with five exercise devices each, permanently mounted at the sites with ‘softfall’ material underneath.
It will be easy to exercise.
“We want everyone to come along and make use of the exercise stations,” said Rotary president Bruce Pyke.
On Saturday, Ross McClure’s trucks and bobcat unloaded base material and gravel and levelled the sites in readiness and footings were excavated by Nimrod Mor.
The contributions of the volunteers and their plant has meant significant savings on the exercise stations which will cost about $60,000 including the contribution of voluntary labor and equipment.
A NSW government grant of $30,000 supported last year by Member for Barwon, Mr Humphries, underpinned the cost of the exercise facilities.
Rotarian Wayne Wheeler has been a driver of the project.
He said the initiator was local resident Dot Craig who had long sought an easily accessible exercise area for use by everyone.
“Exercise and physical well-being is an effective way to stave off the onset of dementia, as well as providing overall health benefits,” said Dot.
“This will be valuable for all of us in the community.
The whole town can use it and enjoy health and fitness benefits.
“I, and others, had wanted something like this but it wasn’t until Rotary came on board that it got going and funding was achieved,” said Dot. And soon it will be a reality.
In about six weeks’ time the project will be completed, weather permitting, and the exercise stations will be ready for action.
Rotary anticipates people of all ages will make the use of the exercise equipment part of their lakeside routine, perhaps walking or cycling the foreshore pathway to and from the area.
“We have been impressed with the support and enthusiasm for the project shown by the shire council’s parks and gardens’ supervisor Evan Harris in this project,” said Bruce.
“It is very pleasing to have this kind of interest.”
The cost of the project reflects the fact that the exercise stations, one 11 metres long by 5.55 m and the other two, six and ten metres each, comprise ground preparation and levelling, base material, crusher dust mixed with cement, topped with soft fall material, all contained within a concrete perimeter with grass landscaped up to the edges.
The exercise equipment has been bought after expert advice as to its suitability for all ages in the outdoors.
It is anticipated there will be an official opening ceremony - perhaps with a demonstration by a Rotarian working through the equipment at the three stations.