The City of Riverside unveiled its new World Class Fitness Court during a ceremony Saturday morning, Oct. 20, next to the Riverside Community Center, at 4498 NW High Drive.
Mayor Kathy Rose spoke about the new workout area, which was approved by the board of aldermen in March. The city got a variety of grants to help cover a portion of the cost of the court, which features workouts of seven minutes that are made for all fitness levels.
Rose noted the Riverside location is one of 100 nationwide that will open this year but only the second in Missouri this year, following Maryland Heights, a St. Louis suburb that opened its last month. Nationwide, there are courts in more than 4,000 cities.
“The whole concept is this is an outdoor, body weight circuit training,” Rose told the assembled crowed, many bundled up with temperatures in the 40s. “You use your body weight as an obstacle to tone your core and build your muscles. It is for all levels of workout and fitness levels, for all ages, and takes only seven minutes a day. Every single one of us have seven minutes a day. I hope to see this thing full on a regular basis.”
The Riverside court is unique as it is the first in the nation with a shade structure,
“This was really important to our board,” Rose said, pointing to the canopy covering. “It is so exposed in this location we have a shade structure to help people doing fitness routines.”
Independence-based Larrison Construction did the work, which started in July. The city received a $25,000 Outreach Grant from Platte County, $5,000 from the Platte County Health Department and $10,000 from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
The workout circuit can be done from following instructions or using an app and classes will be offered free from the YMCA for one year.
Riverside aldermen Nathan Cretsinger, Aaron Thatcher and Jill Hammond were present, as was city administrator Brian Koral. Those officials, along with other dignitaries, took part in the ribbon cutting.
Shortly after, a competition was held between four teams — including the Riverside Police and Fire departments — to see who could do the most reps in 15 seconds of exercise on the circuit.