Location:
Dam Head, Blackley - Fitness Park for Pensioners
Manchester
Lancashire
Xerscape Fitness Park for Pensioners
Dam Head Park in North Manchester is the very first location in the UK to sport a play area for the over-60s.
Wicksteed has designed and developed a range of fitness equipment ideal for this imaginative scheme; Xerscape is targeted literally at everyone aged 12 upwards ~ absolutely no limit! So, teenagers trying out the Surfer, for instance, had better watch out because Grandad might just be on the Leg Press next door!
Regular exercise that involves muscles, joints and bones is vital in helping us stay independent and mobile in later life. Exercising can not only help stave off chronic diseases but can also improve self esteem and increase stress relief. So, the residents of Dam Head Park could well steal a march on other senior citizens across the country, just by having a lot of fun!
This particular project all started in 2007 when Peggy Yuill, Treasurer of Dam Head Park Residents Association, in Blackley, North Manchester, spotted a newspaper article about a park in Germany which had recently installed exercise equipment for the older user. "That's what we want at Dam Head Park", said Peggy as she set about getting the wheels in motion having shared her excitement with Joan Fitzgerald, Chair of the residents association, who also thought it was a super idea.
Meanwhile, as luck would have it for the Dam Head Park team, Wicksteed Playscapes had recently launched Xerscape, having worked in close collaboration with researchers from Staffordshire University, whose expertise helped to define this sophisticated, sporty range. So, Wicksteed proved to be just the suppliers for the job. Uniquely, the university personnel also devised specific circuits to follow which are given three categories: novice, intermediate and experienced so that all levels of physical abilities are catered for.
The residents, whose input was vitally important to the success of the final project, were shown various pieces of equipment from which they were invited to select six of their favourites. Within months, thanks to full funding by Northwards Housing, the chosen units were installed and ready to use and these sprightly, older folk were making headlines of their own!
One of the favourite units is the Surfer which, according to Peggy, takes her back to her jiving days! The movement created by this piece is similar to a jive, but can be taken a bit more gently, according to the user's individual control, and can be enjoyed alone or with a workout buddy on the opposing side!
Deliberately sited adjacent to an existing children's play area, the intention is that whilst one grandparent or carer looks after the kids the other one can easily use the fitness equipment alongside.
So, nowadays there's not only laughter and hilarity emerging from the youngsters' playground at Dam Head Park, but also from the young at heart right next door. As Peggy rightly says, "Everybody's enjoying it, and that's what life's all about!"
Judging by the excitement and interest these units have already caused, this is definitely going to be the way forward for improving health, fitness and fun for everyone.
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