Maine's newest free outdoor gym is opening at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF). This is the third Fitness Court® in Maine, thanks to a partnership between Community Health Options and National Fitness Campaign (NFC).
UMF will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. at 131 Perkins St., open to students, faculty and staff, and the public.
Anyone 14 and older can use the Fitness Court. Seven exercise stations let you use your body weight to move at your own pace no matter your skill level, giving you a workout in as little as seven minutes. There's also a free Fitness Court app that acts like a digital coach, with training videos for beginners, intermediate and advanced users.
“Free access to fitness opportunities is vital to building healthy communities,” said Kevin Lewis, Community Health Options president and CEO. “We’re proud to be the exclusive NFC sponsor in Maine and delighted to be opening this Fitness Court with UMF, where students, faculty, staff and the community can all benefit from workouts that help to build overall health and well-being.”
UMF is the first university or college to team up with Community Health Options and NFC as part of an ongoing effort to build Fitness Courts across Maine, joining the world’s largest free outdoor gym network. Two Fitness Courts are already open—at Simard-Payne Memorial Park in the City of Lewiston and at VFW Park and Field on Canoe Club Road in Hampden.
To learn more about the event, read the UMF news release announcing the opening.
Learn more about the Community Health Options partnership with NFC here. And don’t forget to follow Community Health Options on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.
Ten Maine nonprofit organizations received a total of $50,000 in funding through Community Health Options’ 2024 Wellness Grants to support programs that promote physical and emotional well-being in communities across the state.
“Each year, we’re inspired by the impact small organizations have across Maine and privileged to play a small part in supporting these projects,” said Kevin Lewis, president and CEO of Community Health Options. “We continue to be amazed by the creativity of these initiatives, whether helping girls to build self-confidence, supporting substance use disorder recovery, or lending out gear so more people can enjoy the beauty of our state.”
