VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) inaugurated the open air gymnasium facility at Kutumba Rao Park in Vivekananda Nagar here on Saturday. City Mayor Koneru Sreedhar along with Municipal Commissioner J Nivas formally launched the facility and tried their hand on the equipment.
Sreedhar said that VMC, in association with AP Urban Green and Beautification Corporation Limited (APUGBCL), had decided to develop open air gymnasium facility at Dr K L Rao Park in Chitti Nagar, One Town, Kutumba Rao park (Division 9) and at Rajiv Nagar area at an estimated cost of `24.75 lakh. Few days ago, the facility was launched at Dr. K L Rao, Chitti Nagar. The facility at Kutumba Rao park came up at an estimated cost of `9 lakh.
‘’The newly inaugurated open air gymnasium accommodates basic equipment such as fitness bikes, air walkers, sit-up benches, double-back stretcher, waist and shoulder twisters and many more. All machines are tamper and weather-proof and are clamped onto concrete slabs across rubberized tiles, making it impossible to move them manually,” said Sreedhar.
“Stress levels have gone up even in a city like Vijayawada and people need to loosen up. The open air gymnasiums will help people exercise by staying close to the nature and will encourage more people to take up physical activity,” said municipal commissioner J Nivas. Moreover, the outdoor fitness centres will attract people from all age groups as different types of equipment will be there to choose from. The ease of accessibility and free usage may even entice the uninitiated Vijayawada residents into a healthier lifestyle, added the municipal commissioner.