Published on Tuesday 07 June 2022
Proposals for a free outdoor fitness park on Boscombe beach have been rubber-stamped.
The fitness park will include a dip bench, shaped benches, pull-up bars, a rope climber and push-up bars, among other equipment.
People of all abilities will be able to use the park, which will be built at the bottom of Toft Steps, between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.
It is hoped that construction work will start towards the end of July and the build will be limited to several weeks with minimal interruption to nearby parking on Undercliff Drive.
Councillor Phillip Broadhead, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration, said: "This fitness park will provide a fantastic community space to support health and wellbeing for residents and visitors.
"It’s also a welcome asset to our award-winning seafront, providing yet another reason why the BCP region is the very best to work, live and visit."
An idea for a fitness park was first suggested in 2017. Since then, the Steve Bernard Foundation and the Talbot Village Trust started fundraising for the project, which will cost £30k to deliver. BCP Council have project managed delivery of the park and will take responsibility for ongoing maintenance.
Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, Chairman of Talbot Village Trust, said: "We are delighted to be involved in this project and to offer a grant to the Steve Bernard Foundation for the creation of this fitness park.
"To have equipment such as this available for the public to use freely and at ease is incredibly important in making a healthier lifestyle more accessible for all. The Trust is thoroughly excited to see the finished result and we hope it will become an asset to the community."
Pedestrians will have room to walk past the outdoor gym, once it is in place. The tender for the project was awarded to Kompan in January 2022, and the design aims to be durable and easy to maintain.
Park users will be able to download a Kompan fitness app for free to get general workout programmes while using the fitness equipment.
The Toft Steps area will be further enhanced later this year by the development of Toft Steps Beach Box Park. This has been funded by Towns Fund, a government initiative which awarded BCP Council nearly £23 million to turbo charge the regeneration of Boscombe.
The Toft Steps Beach Box Park project will provide a home for innovation around the fast-growing health and wellbeing sector, establishing up to 30 new local jobs and 15 new businesses over a 5-year period.
Editors notes
For more information on Towns Fund see here.
Find out more about BCP Council’s fitness trails here.
Find out more about Who Dares Gyms, a private company operating under license from BCP Council here.