St. Albert fitness gurus are headed a field near you this summer so you can stay fit during this age of COVID-19.
The City of St. Albert launched its new outdoor fitness program July 2.
The city normally runs a wide array of drop-in and scheduled fitness classes at Servus Place and other facilities during the summer, said Servus Place fitness and wellness supervisor Bryce McLeod. As those facilities were currently closed due to the pandemic, trainers would instead hold those classes outdoors in Grosvenor Park and the green spaces around Servus Place.
"We haven't really dabbled in otudoor programming, historically," McLeod said, but the province's physical distancing rules have made such a shift necessary this year.
Trainers plan to offer 16 different classes this summer on subjects such as dance, yoga, spin and strength training, McLeod said. Most would be pretty light on equipment, except for the spin classes, which would feature the usual stationary bikes. More equipment-heavy courses (such as weightlifting) may come later.
Guests should expect to see up to 20 people per class exercising outdoors with the help of an instructor, McLeod said. Participants should bring their own towels, water bottles and masks, and come dressed to work out – there won’t be washrooms or change rooms on site. Registrants would get an hour-and-a-half’s notice and a refund if a class gets cancelled due to bad weather.
McLeod said the city hopes to reopen the fitness centre, running track, hockey rinks and one indoor turf field at Servus Place as early as July 19. Fountain Park would be back as early as Aug. 2, with the Jarome Iginla and Kinex Arenas following as soon as Aug. 9.
The outdoor fitness classes start July 6. Visit activity.stalbert.ca to register.
Rec Roamers
Folks sweatin’ to the oldies outside might also spot a group of green-shirted nomads dispensing fun and fitness throughout St. Albert.
That’s the city’s new Roaming Rec Crew, which as of June 29 was roving parks and playgrounds in search of bored kids.
“When you hang out with your family all the time ... you run out of good ideas,” said city recreation programs supervisor and crew leader Wendy Byer.
The crew will be wandering the city’s parks and trail network whenever it’s not raining this summer, dispensing bubble wands, sidewalk chalk and suggestions to kids and parents, such as how to do a scavenger hunt or a silly walk, Byer said. They’ll also set up a slack-line for those with better balance to try out.
Byer said residents should expect to see the crew walking or biking around popular parks sites, and may see them team up with the St. Albert Public Library or Big Lake Environment Support Society, both of which also have outdoor activities this summer.
“We’re really trying to avoid creating gatherings,” Byer said, as the province was discouraging those, so the crew won’t publicize its location and won’t stay in any one spot for long.
Byer encouraged people to send the crew suggestions on where to go through the city's recreation and parks Facebook page.
