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Five outdoor gyms to be built in Olympic boroughs
Anna Davis11 Sep 2008
A £1 million Olympic project designed to boost the health of a generation of children was unveiled today.
A chain of outdoor gyms aimed at cutting obesity is opening across London to bring the benefits of the 2012 Games to everyone living in the Olympic boroughs.
The "adiZones", built by Olympic sponsor adidas, are expected to last for 20 years.
The move is supported by Olympic gold medal winner Christine Ohuruogu. The 400m runner said: "The adiZones are wonderful spaces where young people can meet up, hang out and get involved in sport.
"The Standard's legacy campaign is so important. I grew up in Stratford and the sports facilities when I was a kid always needed to be continually developed to attract more youngsters to them.
"We've got a once in a lifetime opportunity with the Games coming to London and I fully support what the Standard is doing in helping to make sure that the promises made when we won the Olympics are achieved."
Nick Craggs, director of marketing at adidas, said: "Our commitment is to help to provide a legacy of increased sports participation which has to last longer than the Games.
"Adidas is highly involved with supporting the sporting elite, but we also want to support the grass roots end.
"We want to get the community involved in the Olympics in the broader sense. Adidas wholeheartedly supports the Evening Standard's charter to deliver an Olympic legacy." Each of the five 625m square gyms will contain "safe"' machines, which use a person's body weight as resistance rather than free weights.
The first "adiZone", which opened in Tower Hamlets this week, also contains a tennis wall, basketball nets, and a dance area. Waltham Forest, Greenwich, Hackney, and Newham will all get their own gyms by the end of next month.
The gyms are designed to help children find out what sports they are good at. If they enjoy using a particular-exercise machine they can find out what sport uses those muscles.
Mr Craggs said: "The vast majority of sport that children are exposed to is team sport such as football. This will show boys and girls of all ages that there are other sports out there.
"On each piece of equipment there are details of what sport they can use the exercises for and the name of a local club they can join.
"So on a fitness bike there will be the details of the local cycling club."
The outdoor gyms will be built on land belonging to local authorities.
Mr Craggs said: "This is a direct investment from adidas to local authorities which wouldn't have the cash to spend on this themselves.
"We hope this makes a difference to the health of a generation. Getting the nation healthier is at the top of everyone's agenda. The five zones are in the host boroughs because of the high levels of inactivity there and because the investment they get are not very high."
The Evening Standard is campaigning for a lasting 2012 Olympic legacy, including access to top-class sporting facilities for all and a system of "Olympic Champions" with top athletes going into schools to inspire children.
The campaign has already been backed by sports stars including Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and boxer James DeGale from Harlesden, who won gold in Beijing.
The Evening Standard's charter to deliver an Olympic legacy
• Create sporting inspiration and facilities "that last for the generation to come"
• Secure access to top-class sporting facilities for all
• Ringfence money to secure Olympic legacy and ensure millions more participate in sport
• No more sell-offs of school or council sports facilities
• Establish a system of "Olympic Champions" with top athletes going into schools to inspire children, teachers and parents
Reader views (12)
What is usually forgot when developing these type of facilities is healthy eating. Exercise is just one aspect of fitness, nutrition is just as important, if not more so!
Through child eductaion, it must be the children educating the adults on what's good for their bodies.
- Barry Skinner, Kingston on Thames, UK, 01/07/2009 16:27
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Since our 'successful' bid for the Olympics it appears that any development of facilities is only taking place in the Olympic boroughs. The rest of London is paying for these games as well, but it appears that we will get no priority for facilities whatsoever.
- Steve, London, 10/10/2008 13:16
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The state of the world finances, and what do we do, build five b****y swimming pools!
- Vince London, West London, 07/10/2008 01:33
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Congratulations! You've got it right. But, keep them out of the tallons of government. They must not become Political chits to trade up points.
Very exciting idea. Watch youth voilence statistics fall.
- Maria, London, 29/09/2008 12:15
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We have already got outdoor gyms in Havering. Great idea
- Jan, London, 22/09/2008 22:55
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What about money for outdoor pools too? Sport England put the boot in more than a decade ago, when it made a policy decision not to give any more grants to open-air pools, on the grounds that they were 'poor value for money'.
Taking their cue from central government, dozens of outdoor pools have been closed by local authorities across the country and many sites sold off to developers. Now the last two open-air pools in Suffolk are under threat, with Waveney District Council saying it will not operate Beccles or Halesworth after next April.
They claim that each swim in the Halesworth Pool cost £13.50 but obesity surgery like a gastric by-pass costs in the region of £6,000 per patient: which is better value and at what point will this Government start valuing "prevention" over pathetic headline-grabbing "cure"?
- Sally Wainman, Ipswich Suffolk, 20/09/2008 09:44
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The only way to 'boost the health of a generation of children' would be to move them out of Stratford.It's a hole.
What a waste of money.
- Steve, Marylebone, 19/09/2008 11:19
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great place for muggers drunks and gangs to hang out at.like they always do
- Emilo, london, 16/09/2008 12:41
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Angea - the people of London are being charged extra council tax to pay for this, yet the borough I live in is getting nothing out of it. Perhaps you could ask your council to provide extra facilities and pay extra on your council tax.
- E Sullivan, London, 16/09/2008 09:00
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a really great idea!
- Sean Kirwin, london, 14/09/2008 23:25
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Sounds great...not much use if you live anywhere other than London though. I think it is a wonderful idea and I am sure those kids will benefit from if greatly, good luck to them.
On the other hand, enough money going to be spent on the Olympics around London, which is great, but wouldn't it be nice to share a little of it for kids elsewhere in the country, to encourage them too. The West Country gets left out of all sorts and seems forgotten at times, as I am sure Northern areas do also.
- Angela, Devon, S. Devon, 12/09/2008 03:18
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Sounds great..only trouble is our weather!
- Mark, Watford, 11/09/2008 15:05
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