New exercise station for elderly at Tun Fuad Park
Published on: Thursday, April 28, 2022
By: Sidney Skinner
Left: The exercise station at the Tun Fuad Park is popular with many of the elderly and The static-exercise equipment at the Tun Fuad Park requires very little maintenance.
City Hall recognises the popularity of the exercise station at the Tun Fuad Stephens Park in Luyang, especially among many of the elderly, and plans to have another one set up there.The management of the Penampang Sports Complex, on the other hand, will weigh up the possibility of having similar static exercise equipment placed on the grounds if there is sufficient interest for such facilities.
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The public in the district is advised make a formal request about this.
A spokesman for City Hall’s Landscaping Department said the second exercise station would be established at the Park once it received an allocation to do so.
“Before getting more static equipment, however, we intend to upgrade the Tai Chi area on the grounds,” he said.
“We have secured funding under the ‘Rancangan Malaysia Ke-12 (Twelfth Malaysia Plan)’ to realise these intentions.”
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Besides the Tun Fuad Park, he said there were also exercise stations at the Public Park in Likas, the cycle-way along Likas Bay and Ujana Rimba Tropika near Taman Fortuna.
He lauded the durability of the static exercise equipment, saying that these facilities had been particularly well-received in places where the public could go hiking or jogging.
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“Unlike mechanical equipment – which may need to be serviced every six months – the static ones merely need a fresh coat of paint once in a while.”
He said the latter required very little maintenance.
When asked about the rationale in refurbishing the Tai Chi area at the Tun Fuad Park, the spokesman said this was deemed necessary due to the damage in this part of the grounds.
“City Hall received feedback that the concrete floor, where the practitioners gathered, was riddled with cracks.
“There was concern that the senior citizens among this group might injure themselves if they tripped and fell.
He said a consultant had confirmed the safety hazards posed by the damaged floor.
The individual had submitted a design to City Hall for the proposed improvement work, according to him.
“We will try to have temporary repairs made to this area, in the meantime, for the benefit of all those who come to perform their exercise here.
“Priority will be accorded to getting the floor in order before we begin putting together another exercise station at the Park.”
Meanwhile, Penampang Complex users should write to the management about having an exercise station set up on the grounds
A spokesman for the management said they should explain why they felt static exercise equipment was needed at the Complex in their letter.
He said they should also suggest potential locations where the station might be sited.
He said this correspondence would be relayed to the State Sports Board for further consideration.
“So far, the public has never approached us about establishing a one-stop static exercise centre outside,” the spokesman said.
AMOS said many of his elderly friends in Penampang made use of the static exercise equipment at the Tun Fuad Park and Ujana Tropika.
“They have to go all the way from their homes near Donggongon just to do this,” he said.
“These senior citizens could be spared this inconvenience if only the Complex had similar facilities.”
He said many of these retirees made use of the running track at the Complex which was where he had befriended them.
“I go for a jog there between 6-7am every morning. There are some grassy spots around the track where the static exercise equipment could be placed.”
Amos wanted to know if the relevant local authority would consider setting up a similar one-stop exercise centre at the Complex or some other public space around Penampang.
The District Council was asked about his suggestion.
A spokesman for the agency said, unlike City Hall, there were no public parks under the Council’s jurisdiction.
“We only look after playgrounds in those neighbourhoods within our rating-area, he said.
“It may not be suitable to have static exercise equipment set up for the public at these locations.”
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