Town considers quarter-million-dollar fitness park

Mayor Derrick Wood says the Fitness Court park would be built on land next to the old Dumfries-Triangle Rescue Squad. The cost will be $270,000. The National Fitness Campaign, the firm selling the outdoor gyms, will provide a $30,000 discount to the town for installing its product.

Town documents refer to the discount as a grant. According to the Fitness Court website, the outdoor gym has seven exercises. Similar Fitness Courts have been built in 500 communities across the U.S.

If built, the park will be open to the public. The cost of the would equate to about three percent of the town’s overall $7.2 million budget.

The Dumfries Town Council meets at 7 p.m. at the town hall, 17739 Main Street, Suite 200. The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed on the town’s YouTube channel.

Here’s the resolution before the town council:

WHEREAS, the Town of Dumfries Town Council has been committed to being a Healthy Eating Active Living Community by identifying and supporting recreational programs that encourage active living since 2014 pursuant to Council Resolution R-2014- 019; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Dumfries has been awarded a $30,000 National Grant from the Town’s National Fitness Campaign (NFC) Grant Committee and Statewide Partners towards the total cost of equipment and installation of a Fitness Court®; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Dumfries plans to promote and implement a free-to- the-public outdoor Fitness Court® in alignment with its 2014 Comprehensive Plan to provide recreational opportunities for all ages of residents within the Town, and

WHEREAS, the total estimated cost of the Fitness Court® equipment, concrete pad and installation, including $70,000 for site work, equipment storage, and labor is $270,000, therefore, with the grant the remaining cost to be funded by the Town is $240,000; and

WHEREAS, the remaining estimated $240,000 cost of the Fitness Court® can be funded by moving $240,000 from the Town’s general fund to the Town’s park improvements fund; and

WHEREAS, a public hearing was noticed and advertised to amend the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget in the amount of $240,000 in accordance with Va. Code §15.2- 2507 even though no 1% change in the budget is being made it is just being moved into a different category.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Dumfries Town Council hereby accepts the grant from the National Fitness Campaign, amends the budget to move $240,000 from the general fund to the park improvements fund and appropriate those funds for Fitness Court® park improvements in the amount of $240,000 plus the $30,000 grant.