Lake Worth Beach balks at $245,000 outdoor fitness court in Bryant Park
Commissioners could still approve the purchase on April 21, but some are concerned about the cost, maintenance and potential blockage of water views
A $245,000 OUTDOOR fitness court in Bryant Park, an idea enthusiastically approved two months ago by the City Commission, is on hold after elected leaders raised new concerns last week.
Some commissioners want reassurances that the National Fitness Campaign fitness court, which includes a wall 8 feet high and 38 feet wide, won’t obstruct public sightlines of the Lake Worth Lagoon.
“We are getting calls (from constituents), ‘We don’t want this giant wall to block the view,’’ Vice Mayor Mimi May said April 7 before voting with a 3-2 majority to reject a purchase order for the court.
Commissioners that night also agreed to reconsider the purchase on April 21 after they’ve had a chance to walk through the park with staff and see the proposed layout.
“I want to see exactly where (the wall) is going to be and what it’s going to block,’’ said May, who made the motion to reconsider the purchase. “More important than the fitness part is the view, to me.’’
The fitness court would be installed between Second and Third avenues south, just east of a paved path that winds north-south roughly through the center of the park. The Park Towers condo building at 208 S. Lakeside Dr. is west of the installation site.
Staff had indicated April 7 that the wall would be placed parallel to the path. If commissioners approve the project, they will have final say on the layout.
Commissioner Anthony Segrich said he wasn’t comfortable spending nearly a quarter-million dollars for the outdoor gym when the city has not properly taken care of its existing outdoor public amenities.
There’s already a fitness station in the south end of the park.
“To spend $245,000 more at this point, I’m not comfortable doing that until we can demonstrate that we can maintain what we have,’’ he said.
Segrich also raised questions about National Fitness Campaign and the company’s invoice, which includes a line item for a $30,000 “grant funding award.” He said the “award” is a “clever sales pitch’’ that gives the appearance the city is getting a discount.
Coupled with the company’s name, he said the invoice suggests “a true grant coming from a government agency.’’
When Segrich asked if National Fitness Campaign was a government agency, Stuart Sword, the city’s assistant director for Leisure Services, told him it was a for-profit company.
“As this is not a true grant coming from a government agency, I don’t see any urgency in pushing this forward,’’ Segrich said before voting with May and Commissioner Chis McVoy to vote against the purchase.
Mayor Betty Resch, a supporter of the fitness court, reminded her colleagues they approved the project in February.
“We all voted to do this, and if we are going to start second-guessing everything we do we’re not going to get anything done,’’ she said.
Her comment sparked a sharp rebuke from Segrich.
“It’s an absolute asinine thing to say that because we voted one way one day that new information wouldn’t want to make someone change their mind,’’ he said.
Resch, who earlier in the meeting acknowledged that some constituents had “concerns (the fitness court) is going to be this monolith in the park,’’ said she wasn’t aware of new information that warranted a reconsideration of the project.
“I’m not saying this isn’t a good idea,’’ Segrich said. “I am saying, given that we are having maintenance issues on all the other playground and exercise equipment, maybe we should take a pause.’’
Founded in 1979, National Fitness Campaign is a private wellness consulting firm that partners with cities, schools and corporate sponsors to build outdoor fitness courts.
The fitness court is an outdoor gym offering seven stations aimed at specific exercise elements — core, squat, push, lunge, pull, agility and bend. Users can download an app that guides them through exercises.
There are 700 National Fitness Campaign outdoor courts across the United States, including 30 in Florida, Sword said. Lake Worth Beach would be the first Palm Beach County municipality with an NFC fitness court. The nearest municipality that has one is Deerfield Beach in Broward County.
A selling point has been the use of murals and artwork on the back of the fitness court wall. When the company pitched its outdoor court to Lake Worth Beach in 2022, its presentation focused on artwork by Keith Haring and Jean-Michael Baquait, iconic artists from the 1980s.
The latest proposal in February focused on the fitness court and offered the city a chance to have local artists create a mural.
“I think this is great. I think this is going to get utilized a ton,’’ Segrich said Feb. 3 when commissioners approved the idea for the court.
Lake Worth Beach issued a call to artists and received 28 submissions. Those submissions are scheduled to be considered on April 21.
The cost for the fitness court equipment is $170,000. An additional $45,000 pays for a 38-by-38-foot concrete base. The company charges $30,000 to install the court.
May suggested installing the court in a way that places the wall perpendicular to the lagoon, meaning a much smaller section would block views of the water.
McVoy suggested the city consider a less “shiny fancy’’ option, something similar to the wood-based exercise equipment along the fitness trail in John Prince Memorial Park, a county park just west of the city.
“I am not really comfortable going forward with this,’’ he said of the NFC court.
I have to extend my thanks to the commissioners that the concerns of the residents are being heard and brought into the discussions of such taxpayer funded enhancements. I live across the street from Bryant and Snook Island parks. I visit our parks, beach, and downtown daily. I feel so privileged to be a part of this beautiful and diverse community. I walk past the existing South Bryant Park workout area frequently and rarely see anyone using the space. On the other hand, I do see a lot of people using our walkways for walking and running, bike lanes for biking and other transport modes. Picnic tables and pavilions get frequented. BTW, beautiful job on the South Bryant Park pavilion! Fishing is also a big thing in our community.
One item that was repeated as a reason for public investment in our city during the last ballot initiative was the desperate need for repairs of aging properties. I must agree with many other commentors that the maintenance and repair of existing properties, spaces, and equipment would be prerequisite before creating new. Let's clean up and spruce up what we already have in this awesome little town! IMHO, of course.
I would like the City Commission to consider two very important factors that make this project ill-conceived. For at least half of the year, the sun beating down on the equipment will make all of it so hot that it will be untouchable. Playgrounds have plastic slides so no one will get burned by hot metal. At the very least, a cover/sails will be necessary. Secondly, the wall will not only block the view of some neighbors, but it will also block wind that might cool down the site so that it will be usable.