The Monticello Central School District will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, July 17 at 9:30 a.m. to celebrate the installation of a new Fitness Court – an outdoor gym that will be open for community use. The court is located on the campus of Monticello High School at 39 Breakey Ave in Monticello, NY, by the school’s lower parking lot, adjacent to the tennis courts.
The Fitness Court is an innovative outdoor gym facility designed to provide a full-body workout using body-weight exercises and functional fitness training. It consists of seven fitness stations that target different muscle groups, offering a comprehensive workout experience suitable for individuals of all fitness levels. Each station includes instructions and QR codes for accessing guided workout routines via a mobile app, making it accessible and user-friendly.
The Fitness Court initiative is spearheaded by the National Fitness Campaign (NFC), which, according to the organization’s website, is America’s largest public-private wellness partnership. The organization has partnered with municipalities, schools, and sponsors, to raise more than $100 million to combat obesity and the burdens of sedentary lifestyles. It states its goal as bringing “the world’s best outdoor gym — The Fitness Court® — within a 10-minute bike ride of every American”
More than 100 of these Fitness Courts have been installed throughout the country, and on Wednesday, July 17, Monticello, New York will join the list, thanks to collaboration between a host of local organizations, leaders, and businesses.
The initiative began in Monticello in 2022 when County Manager Josh Potosek approached Sullivan 180 — an organization dedicated to improving health in Sullivan County — and asked the organization to help facilitate a location for the MVP Health Care Outdoor Fitness Court. Monticello was selected as a community based on health outcomes, need, and opportunity. The Monticello Central School District agreed to host the new outdoor gym on its property – a prime location given the student population and the school’s proximity to several local housing complexes. Funding for the Fitness Court was made possible by: Sullivan 180, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Garnet Medical, WSUL Heart-a-thon, Sullivan County Legislative Discretionary Funding from Louis Alvarez, Nadia Rajsz and former Legislators Ira Steingart and Alan Sorensen; MVP Health Care and the National Fitness Campaign.
The Monticello Fitness Court will be open to the public when school is not in session, in accordance with the district’s community use policy.
Watch a teaser video of the court’s construction:
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