BY FABIAN BELGRAVE | JAN 25, 2023
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Sonia Browne, exercising at the Community Outdoor Gym, at the Wildey Gymnasium, today. (National Sports Council)
The community outdoor gym initiative, which was created to promote physical activity and good health among citizens, was launched this morning at the Wildey Gymnasium, Wildey, St. Michael.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, speaking at the official opening of the community outdoor gym there, stated: “We are cognizant of the fact that we need to have our country moving, and our Ministry will use a number of different sporting disciplines to ensure that we have the youth involved in sporting activities all across this country.”
That gym and four others, located at Bush Hall, St. Michael; Haggatt Hall, St. Michael; Indian Ground, St. Peter, and Gall Hill, St. John, will be free to the public.
They will feature equipment that utilises bodyweight exercises, and will be available to individuals of all ages and fitness levels. In addition, Government plans to expand the programme, through the National Sports Council, to other areas in the country.
Mr. Griffith noted that the cost of gym membership could be “prohibitive for some individuals”, and said Government wanted to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to “improve their physical health”.
The Sports Minister urged users to take care of the equipment provided, and reminded the public that walking dogs at the Wildey Gymnasium is not encouraged.
“We fully expect that the pieces of equipment that will be used will be taken care of. We know that in some cases these things get damaged. In some cases, they’re damaged deliberately. I also want to take this opportunity to speak to those persons who exercise at this location on a daily basis that walking dogs at the location is not something that is [encouraged]. It is creating some issues for other persons …. And I’m asking individuals to be sensitive to the fact that other persons who are exercising are using the facilities here,” he said.
Mr. Griffith also called on the national sports federations to utilise the facilities available through the Ministry.
Also in attendance at the launch were Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr. Sonia Browne; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Yolande Howard, and Director of the National Sports Council, Neil Murrell.
