JERSEYVILLE – On May 24th, at 5 pm, the City of Jerseyville, in partnership with local community donors and the national consulting organization known as the National Fitness Campaign (NFC), will be unveiling the City’s new Fitness Court® at Jerseyville’s Lions Club Park.
The construction of this recreational innovation has reached completion at the corner of North Jefferson and East Spruce streets, also known as Lion’s Club Park. This is a free-of-charge community resource featuring seven functional training zones as well as a supporting mobile app and will offer locals and visitors alike with a no-cost option to work on their health and wellbeing. The free app, “Fitness Court,” is available for both iOS and Android and affords users with a coachin-your-pocket style platform adaptable for all fitness levels.
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On this evening we invite the public to join the City Council, Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department, Representatives from Jersey Community School District 100, and Jersey Community Hospital and Wellness Center for a gathering to celebrate health and wellness in our community. Trained ambassadors from the Wellness Center will be on hand to assist with questions and tutorials about the complex.
Health and wellness are a high priority for this council. “We’re trying to transform Lions Club Park,” Kevin Stork, Commissioner of Accounts and Finance, said. “In coming out of COVID, we’re also trying to find ways to engage the community in outdoor activities as a means to further that transformation while promoting public wellness.”
Councilman Stork engaged with Zach Crawford, Commissioner of Public Property, in taking the next steps. They found that only a handful of Illinois communities were home to a Fitness Court® so they soon realized that this facility would help give Jerseyville a cutting edge on community wellness.
In 2021, Jerseyville was one of several dozen select recipients from around the country that were awarded a $25,000 competitive grant from the NFC and the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association to bring the Fitness Court® to Jerseyville. In addition to grant dollars, additional funding for the project was made possible through a public-private partnership of city funds as well as numerous local private sponsors, who will be recognized on the primary wall of the fitness facility. Private fundraising was completed through the efforts of Tyler Hermens, Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Director, in order to make the project possible, with JCH Healthcare serving as the primary corporate donor.
“The Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department is excited to bring this innovative project to Jerseyville,” Councilman Crawford said. “We remain committed to being proactive and progressive in making quality of life improvements with both our parks and city-wide, and this project is a great launching point for our long-term plans.”
Those long-term plans consist of a multiple-phase project to transform both the Lions Club Park and the adjoining Wittman Park into a complex supporting not only health and wellness, but arts and entertainment as well. As part of the city’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan, increased recreational opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages are a key priority.
“I think this is a great investment for the health and wellness of our community,” Crawford said.
For more information contact the Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department at 618-498-2222 option 5.
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