Glendale parks need fitness gear for seniors

Kudos to City Council member Laura Friedman for her April 2 City Council meeting input critical of Parks and Recreation’s lack of designs for Maple Park exercise facilities that exercisers over the age of 50 can beneficially use.

I am north of that age myself and, despite the sardonic, “macho-men” snickers of other council members of various ages who challenged Friedman about what she, herself, could do if she ‘“really tried,” I believe she was right on the mark with her criticisms. For example, the screen-displayed chin-up bars are mostly viable for not just any teenagers/young adults, but really fit ones at that.

The limited fitness equipment reminded me of the antiquated layout in Elysian Park: fixed push-up bars, dip-bars, chin-up bars, etc. Well, hey, City Council, come into the 21st century, eh? We have an aging population that really needs viably modern outdoor exercise equipment such as elliptical machines in South Glendale’s parks that will allow seniors to exercise through their arthritis, etc.

Typically, such 50-plus-friendly machines have advisory words clearly stamped right on them saying users must be at least 14 years of age. Furthermore, good location arrangements of these types of movable parts exercisers tend to produce reasonable results in low-maintenance longevity.

As I recall, Council member Ara Najarian successfully pushed the council to spend a few more bucks to get that nice new Pacific Community Park pool built right. Well, the same should hold true for such equally important kinds of on-the-ground exercise facilities in upgraded South Glendale parks.

Harvey Pearson
Los Feliz