The City of Santa Barbara Showcase
Location
Santa Barbara, CA (Parque de los Niños)
Customer: The City of Santa Barbara
Dealer: Pacific Park & Play
Selected Products: Apollo, Everest
Installation Date: Spring 2023
The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is an integral and vibrant part of the community, dedicated to enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike. The department manages a diverse range of parks, including coastal gems, botanical gardens, and community green spaces, each offering unique opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and cultural enrichment.
Outdoor-Fit x The City of Santa Barbara
The City of Santa Barbara project represents the first Outdoor-Fit project in the city. It is an exciting endeavor to enhance the well-being and active lifestyles of its residents. In collaboration with our dealer Pacific Park & Play, this fitness park aims to bring innovative and purposeful outdoor exercise equipment to the Parque de los Niños, a beloved outdoor space in the community. With the selection of cutting-edge products like an Apollo and two Everests, the project strives to turn this once underutilized space, into a dynamic hub for physical fitness, social engagement, and mental health improvement for people of all ages and fitness levels. The City of Santa Barbara's commitment to creating a healthier and more vibrant community shines through this inspiring venture. The use of safety surfacing and equipment placement also ensures that this project is compliant with safety standards and regulations.
Project Goals
- Find a more durable and low maintenance equipment option to replace the parks old equipment
- Create an ASTM compliant outdoor fitness site
- Maximize the current space that was previously underutilized
A few years ago, the Department installed twelve outdoor fitness stations in a larger park and maintenance has been a big problem. Waiting months for parts to ship from China has reduced the time the equipment can be used by the community. The Department choose Outdoor-Fit Exercise Systems because it was designed with durability and maintenance in mind. The Department installed the Apollo and two Everest climbers in a park with an existing playground. The park property is shaped like a slice of pizza with the playground located in the widest area. The remaining thinner area was used under utilized by three bench sitting areas. Experience has taught us energizing a space reduces misuse. The outdoor fitness equipment we choose required only a small footprint and could fit into the remaining area. The two Everest climbers face the playground so caregivers can safely watch children play while getting a cardio workout. We often see neighbors using the Apollo at the same time each day enjoying the free workout opportunity. The equipment was purchased with a Community Development Block Grant as the neighborhood qualifies as low to moderate income. The equipment installation has been praised by the Spanish speaking neighbors and is often used by teens and adults.
-Justin Van Mullem, City of Santa Barbara Capital Projects Supervisor