Malvern Park Exercise Trail

SummaryA running/walking track and an outdoor fitness equipment area are proposed for Malvern Park in St Albans.

Advice was obtained from Christchurch City Council and an outdoor equipment specialist. An outdoor gym is proposed alongside the Malvern Park children’s play equipment, that will be effective for all ages from school children to senior citizens, including the disabled. In addition to the outdoor gym, four static exercise equipments are proposed around the perimeter of the park.

An assessment was made of the track surface options for a running/walking track and due to the large trees adjoining the track a lot of surface options were eliminated due to maintenance costs from tree root impacts on a permanent track surface. A grass protecting matt will be trialed for suitability as a walking/running track surface.

A staged approach:

1. Construct outdoor gym and set up track surface trial2. Install four exercise equipments around the perimeter of the park3. Construct an all weather running/walking track surface at the Roosevelt Ave end of the park4. Monitor Malvern St and Innes Rd track surface

IntroductionA community survey, in 2012, identified the need for outdoor exercise equipment and an all weather running/walking trail around Malvern Park.

The Christchurch City Council were approached and agreed that concept had merit and were willing to support it as long as the community supported it.

ProposalIt is proposed to set up exercise equipment and a running/walking trail at Malvern Park to cater for users of all ages and abilities.

An adult exercise equipment area is proposed at the south western end of the park, beside the children’s play area.

Proposed exercise equipment area at south western end of the park

The 1.5 metre wide and 600 metre long running/walking track is proposed around the perimeter of the park following the line of the well worn track that runners/walkers are presently using.

Existing running/walking trail on Malvern Street side of Malvern Park

Roosevelt Ave side of park

Existing running/walking trail on Innes Road side of park

WhyThe population of St Albans has a very diverse range of ages; ranging from the young families through to retiring age baby boomers. The park is extensively used by sports groups, families and individuals walking their dog or out for a run or walk. The trail/exercise area will be designed to cater for all ages and will become a social gathering area.

People are currently using the park to run and walk around. Around the perimeter of the park users have worn away the grass forming a dirt track. In the winter this track becomes muddy and Roosevelt Ave end of the park becomes very wet. These under foot conditions are not conducive for running/walking during the winter months.

The exercise equipment will be grouped together at one location beside the children’s play area, allowing for parents to exercise while their children play on the play equipment and for users to socially interact while exercising.

The site will provide a safe, fun, free exercise zone that is always open; making it easy for a community to get active and stay active.

The benefits:

A free local community multi-sports zone Breaks down barriers to sport and physical activity It's free and open 24-7-365 days a year Open to all ages

Coaching centre for huge variety of sports A sporting legacy for youth, clubs and local communities

Exercise Equipment

The exercise equipment will be grouped together at one location. A site beside the children’s play area is considered to be the best location which will allow parents to exercise while their children play. In addition to this group of equipments, there will be four static exercise equipments staggered around the running/walking trail.

Proposed exercise equipment area at south western end of the park

Example of an exercise equipment area

Example of exercise equipment in use

There are a number of options for exercise equipment and for the surface they are on. It is recommended eight items of equipment are located at the site, which includes two pieces of equipment

that cater for wheelchair users. The items selected will cover a range of exercises and body muscle groups. It is suggested the exercise area be composed of two disabled double unit machines, three cardio double unit machines and three strength and toning double unit machines.

The exercise area surface will need to cater for wheelchairs and therefore be a suitable hard surface.

Examples of disabled exercise equipment

Track Options

A number of track surface options have been reviewed for running/walking circuit around the perimeter of the park. These included surfaces for walk chair use. The surfaces considered were; compacted gravel, grass, asphalt, concrete and synthetic.

Due to the track being located beside the chestnut trees lining the park, growing and moving roots would damage a hard track surface. Therefore the options of asphalt, concrete and synthetic surfaces were removed from consideration for the perimeter track adjoin the trees.

Considering for ascetic reasons, the option of keeping the perimeter track as a grass surface; a grass reinforced mesh is thought to have merit as a track surface. With the Roosevelt Ave end of the park being the wettest section in the winter, Council have agreed this would be a good location to run a trial of laying a grass reinforcement mesh through which the grass grows.

Grassprotecta Grass Surface

The Roosevelt Ave end of the park is seen as a priority for forming a track due to being very wet in the winter months. An all weather track surface will be formed here following the Grassprotecta trial.

The worn grass sections on the Malvern St and Innes Rd sides of the park will be monitored and should a surface be required, the Grassprotecta (subject to trials) or an aggregate surface will be considered.

Aggregate track surface at Holmwood Park

Exercise Equipment Area Cost It is suggested the exercise area surface be asphalt and composed of two disabled double unit machines, three cardio double unit machines and three strength and toning double unit machines. Together with the four single exercise equipments located around the running/walking track and using volunteer labour the total cost would be approximately $50,000.

Funding Funding options will need to be investigated.

Christchurch City Council Sponsorships and fund raising

RecommendationsConstruct an exercise area beside the childrens play equipment that caters for wheelchair users. This will consist of an asphalt surface with two disabled user machines and six cardio, strength and toning machines.

Set up four separate stations around the running/walking park perimeter track.

Run a trial using Grassprotecta to assess its suitability for the running walking track around the perimeter of the park. Monitor the existing grass track surface on the Malvern St and Innes Road sides

of the park and consider the Grassprotecta or aggregate surface for these locations should they be needed.