Lake Clare Fitness Park in Huntington has been challenging visitors physically and mentally since last July and organizers are looking to add more equipment to the park.
The fitness park opened at Lake Clare and features two courses, one for adults and one for children. The course’s length is 314 feet with 21 obstacles for all levels.
The course has a climbing wall, rope swings, monkey bars and balance beams.
Fitness Park Director Stan Bippus and Tim Guy, Huntington Township trustee, said plans are to install additional equipment at the park this spring.
The goal is to have all of the new equipment installed by May 15, according to Bippus.
Volunteers have dug holes for new equipment to go in. Huntington University students will have a work day to help put the finishing touches on the additions.
Goals are this spring to add a 2-foot climbing ball obstacle on the main course as a few people could not complete the 3-foot climbing ball obstacle, according to Bippus.
On the kids’ course there will be a rope ladder added as well as a new crawling tunnel, a set of nine zig-zag posts, a rope tunnel bridge, a cargo net climbing obstacle, a pull-over bar and a double rail balance obstacle.
There also will be signs posted throughout the park encouraging phrases to help people complete the course.
There will be a ladder installed in the middle of the kids’ course.
Plans are to receive funds for a storage building, as the pole building at the park was demolished.
There has been a little more than $11,700 raised so far, according to Bippus.
Bippus and Guy say the fitness park has been popular.
“It’s a place where families can go and ‘play’ together. When parents take their kids to a typical playground, the equipment is primarily just for kids. At the fitness park there are obstacles for anyone of any age or fitness level,” Bippus said.
“The township is thrilled with what has been done out here and it is better than we ever imagined it to be,” Guy added. He said the township is fully supportive of growing the park, and the location has been ideal because of its visibility from Old Highway 24 and Lake Clare.
“Kids watch American Ninja Warrior on TV then come out here to do those type of things,” he said.