Ecton Lawrence "Ji" Billiot Jr.
July 7, 2008
Jaime Pineda
July 11, 2008
In an attempt to get Thibodaux residents fit, the city has erected seven Life Trail stations along the walking trails at Peltier and Martin Luther King parks.
The outdoor workout stations, which were purchased with an $18,000 state grant, include a pull-up bar, cycling station and a panel for disabled residents.
“We are constantly promoting and working on ways to provide exercise and play for people of all ages within the city,” Mayor Charles Caillouet said in a press release. “The Life Trail equipment will provide an excellent addition to our walking trails in the parks for all ages, especially older adults.”
City grants director Bonnie Lafont first suggested buying the workout systems.
After attending a National League of Cities meeting with Caillouet and other city officials, the group came across a display of playground equipment. Life Trail was one of the things on display.
“It was the first time I had ever seen this type of equipment for physical fitness,” Lafont said. “We really liked the fact that it wasn’t playground equipment. We were looking to do things for adults, as well as children, in the parks. We felt like this was a way to enhance the physical activity of the adult population.”
The stations are also ideal for warming up one’s muscles before exercising.
“We felt like it would be a really good fit for the walking trail,” Lafont said. “We are just trying to encourage the community to get out, walk and utilize these pieces of equipment. The pieces we have are really designed as more of a warm-up to a walk.”
The purchase also adds another element to the city’s “Track Up” program for disabled adults and children, which Caillouet and Recreation Director Ron Alcorn recently unveiled.
Seven Life Trail stations are in Peltier Park and three are in Martin Luther King Park, Lafont said. They are open to the public from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The grants director is seeking additional funds to install four more stations at the water reservoir near the Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium in Thibodaux. “We are just waiting on the paperwork to install them at the reservoir,” Lafont said. “Once that goes through we will start [the installation] project.”
Thibodaux resident Jared Price tries out the new Life Trail station in Peltier Park. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
