Airdronians can get their sweat on with various fitness classes in Bayview Park every Tuesday evening until the end of August, thanks to a partnership between the City of Airdrie and Genesis Land Development Corp.
The new park, located in the southwest community of the same name, opened earlier this year with several features to boast. The park includes rivers and canals, tennis and basketball courts, picnic areas, a toboggan hill and an amphitheatre, according to a press release. One of the highlights for many patrons has also been the outdoor gym equipment.
“The vision behind the whole outdoor gym and Bayview park was to continue to up the bar for the residents in our community, to have open spaces that they can be totally proud of to have in their community,” said Genesis vice president of land development Arnie Stefaniuk.
The subsidized Summer Fitness program is available to anyone in the area with an interest in trying a new workout, with a cost of $5 per session. Classes range from yoga, to HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to Zumba. Every week is different to encourage exploration and excitement.
COVID-19 health restrictions prevented indoor fitness classes for some time – such as those typically held at Genesis Place. Stefaniuk said that the idea for the outdoor classes sprouted from the fact that spaced, outdoor physical activity was safe and permitted as the province began to come out of a third wave of the virus.
Stefaniuk recalls throwing the idea around – “Let’s spend the summer hosting fitness classes outside, in the most unique setting in Airdrie.”
The vice president said that his team has been “absolutely astonished” with the positive feedback residents have provided about the park. Stefaniuk said the fitness classes have had lots of interest since they first began a few weeks ago.
“This is an opportunity to come out, have some fun and work out in a beautiful space,” he said. “It is Genesis’ commitment and philosophy to help our residents experience the communities we built because we put a lot of thought into it.”
“We host events to encourage people to come out, meet their neighbours, have fun and hopefully start developing lifetime friendships that maybe, without this you wouldn’t meet. The goal is to experience your community and see everything that your community has to offer,” Stefaniuk said.
Those interested in participating in a class held in Bayview can visit bit.ly/3idiaxP to see the schedule for upcoming workouts as well as purchase tickets. Genesis Land’s Summer Fitness at Bayview Park runs until the end of August.
