Should Toronto invest in more outdoor gyms?

If you hate going to the gym, many Toronto green spaces offer free alternatives, which are accessible at least for a few months during the year. That's because public parks throughout the city contain fitness equipment, allowing you to get active in the great outdoors.

While this outdoor equipment has existed in some public parks, such as the Humber Trail, for decades, it has seemed to grow more popular in recent years.

Currently, you can try it out at a number of locations including Thomson Memorial Park in Scarborough, Sir Casimir Gzowski Park in Etobicoke, Fred Hamilton Playground near College and Ossington and Julius Deutsch Park at Cecil and Huron Streets.

Now, a group wants to bring it to North York with the Local Impact Participatory Budget Pilot. Ward 33 has $150,000 to spend on community improvement projects. Earlier this year, residents submitted project proposals and in September, they'll vote for their favourite one.

One still in the running is the Don Valley Fitness Park. If approved, it would go up at Bellbury Park on Van Horne Avenue. The DVFP would require $70,000, meaning there would still be money left over for other projects.

Ward 33 will vote on September 17 and 20 and by 2017, the area could become home to a brand new outdoor fitness park.

What do you think of outdoor gyms? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of the outdoor gym at Woodbine Beach by GreenGym.

by Amy Grief via blogTO