Contractors have until Thursday, Nov. 7, to bid on the Seal Beach Greenbelt Fitness Stations Project.
The Recreation and Parks Commission was scheduled to discuss the proposed Greenbelt project at the commission’s Wednesday night, Oct. 23, meeting. However, the commmission was not able to achieve a quorum, so the meeting was not held. The next Parks Commission meeting will be held Nov. 20.
A mandatory pre-bid meeting for project contractors has been scheduled for 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29, at the City Council Chambers.
The proposed project will install outdoor fitness equipment on the Electric Avenue Greenbelt in Old Town Seal Beach.
Tim Kelsey, recreation manager for the Seal Beach Community Services (recreation) Department, said if the Parks Commission OKs the proposal, then the outdoor exercise station project will go to the City Council for approval.
In the 2013 “Parks & Community Services Master Plan,” the Richard Fisher Associates consulting firm recommended outdoor fitness stations as the sixth highest priority for improving existing Seal Beach recreation facilities.
Restrooms at the larger parks were placed at the top of the list.
The Master Plan specifically proposes exercise stations at Eisenhower Park as well as on the Electric Avenue and Zoeter greenbelts.
But Kelsey said the Electric Avenue Greenbelt stations would serve as a pilot program to determine if the exercise stations are actually used.
The cost of the project is not yet known. “We’re going to have to wait on the bids,” Kelsey said.
The Master Plan included projected cost estimates for improving individual Seal Beach facilities, including the Greenbelt. The Master Plan put the cost of adding 12 outdoor fitness equipment stations to the Greenbelt at $6,000 each.
However, Kelsey said that for the pilot project just six exercise stations would be used.
According to Kelsey, the stations would be pull-up stations or similar exercise equipment.
Kelsey said staff was hoping that people would take a run on the Electric Avenue Greenbelt, stop at a pull-up station and resume running. “Fitness equipment is a very popular item in other parks, other cities,” Kelsey said. He said the Parks Commission probably first discussed putting outdoor exercise equipment in parks in 2010.
Some people who are interested in physical fitness seem to support the idea.
“I think it is great as long as they police rogue fitness trainers and businesses from doing business illegally,” said Bryce Turner of Beach Fitness in Seal Beach. “We contract through the City of Seal Beach (recreation department) for our programs. These workout stations will be a great addition for rec programs and for fitness enthusiasts.”
Kelsey said the city staff would deal with unlicensed trainers. He said it would be a code enforcement issue—doing private business on city property without a contract.
