Wallace Park raises the bar on outdoor fitness

The Great Outdoor Gym Company Ireland Ltd (TGO Ireland), in partnership with Lisburn City Council, have launched their first outdoor gym in Wallace Park offering people of all ages and abilities the opportunity to start exercising or enhance their current exercise plan.

The eight-piece gym provides a great work-out, surrounded by fresh air in beautiful parkland and it doesn’t cost a penny.

Health Minister Edwin Poots, who was on-hand to officially open the new facility, said: “It is crucial that the population of Northern Ireland is informed about the benefits of participating in physical activity.

“This will help them maintain a healthy weight, but it will also help them improve their physical and mental health in general.

“This outdoor gym will allow people to access gym equipment in an alternative environment.

“Being situated in a public space means that it is freely available and convenient for everyone to use.”

“By adopting simple lifestyle changes we can reduce the likelihood of developing conditions that have a long term impact on our health and wellbeing,” he added.

Richard Stuart, Managing Director of TGO Ireland said: “We are delighted to be launching of our new range of gym equipment today in Wallace Park, Lisburn.

“TGO has been the pioneer of free to use outdoor gyms in the UK and now the rest of the world for over five years.

“We launched TGO Ireland in March of this year, and I have to say the response from local councils, housing associations and community groups interested in installing a gym in their area has been phenomenal.

“Never before has there been such a focus on health and well-being with the interest in outdoor exercise being at an all-time high.”

Chairman of Lisburn City Council’s Leisure Services Committee, Councillor Thomas Beckett said that the Council was delighted to have facilitated the first of its kind gym here in the City.

He said: “I am delighted that Lisburn City Council and TGO have led the way in this exciting new facility.

“By making the land available in the recently refurbished Wallace Park we have added an extra dimension to the attractions on offer.”

Northern Ireland Football & Ulster Rugby legends Glenn Ferguson and Bryn Cunningham were the first professional athletes to try the new facility, battling it out in a circuits challenge and feel the facility will go a long way in inspiring people young and old to increase their exercise regime.