Park Fitness Johnstown

The otherside of town Blackwater Park in north Navan has been the nearest outdoor venue hosting public fitness events. However without toilets or changing rooms this has limited appeal for our local residents.

Navan Rugby Club is much closer but again this already has a use and throughout the summer the pitches are currently closed and recovering from harsh winter treatment.

Walterstown GFC is some distance away without using cars to leave our area.

Are we going to wait until some space magically appears or make use of what we have.

Who should come along?

"All levels of fitness are catered for and you go at your own pace. You will always leave one of our sessions knowing you that you just had a great workout because they are guaranteed to elevate your heart rate. They are better bang for your buck then the out-dated boring cardio workouts.

Many people spend money on gym membership in January but for one reason or another they just don’t get around to getting to it as often as they like so they don’t get value for their money. These pay as you go classes are flexible and less costly and in a healthier environment outdoors breathing in the fresh air.

The first class we had was virtually equipment free with body weight exercises performed at a high intensity. The second class I introduced some equipment such as dumb bells, kettlebells and tyres so there is great variety in the workouts too which the class enjoy.

They are tough, but enjoyable and you will definitely see results if you train regularly and have a good balanced diet along with it. It’s a fool proof method and anyone can do it!"

Why set this up?

"As a resident of Johnstown for nearly two years I just became disillusioned with the lack of amenities that are on offer to the local community. You see local shops and businesses closing down, some of these outlets lying dormant and becoming dilapidated. Anti-social behaviour among our youths has become an issue but to be honest the main reason for this is that there is nothing in the area for these youths to do!

One day driving through the area the big empty park area just caught my eye and got me thinking to myself ‘that’s quite a suitable place to have an outdoor fitness class’ and I just said to myself why not give it a try and set it up.

I kind of went gung-ho at it and unfortunately the Johnstown Peoples Park is privately owned and the park committee wasn’t in a position to grant permission at this time. This was a setback initially but at this stage I already had a Facebook page set up and it was clear that there was definitely an appetite for the class, I just had to find another suitable area.

Luckily there are many large green grass areas in Johnstown and after a conversation with one of the Residents Associations I set up base just off the main road beside Bailis Downs Estate. "

"Insurance is not an issue as I have my own full public liability and professional indemnity insurance and there were no objections from any of the residents so we were good to go!

Local businesses Fifty50 and The Ivy Cafe were fantastic and got behind me and sponsored great prizes to help promote the class and I’m in discussions with other businesses about this too.

There is no doubt that there is a boom taking off in Johnstown at the minute with developments and buildings springing up from all angles so it’s important we instill that sense of community and even more important that we don’t neglect our health and well being, after all you’re only as wealthy as you are healthy.

By setting up these Park Fitness Johnstown classes I just wanted to offer this service to the people of Johnstown and to give them an outlet for something to do. The classes have a social element to them also where friendships and a community spirit and bond can be built up.

If these classes can inspire our youth and help kick start positive vibes in our community then it will be a worthwhile venture."

Do you have a plan for Johnstown?

"My plan is to conduct the classes for the summer months. You would have thought that they are weather dependent but in only the second class in the absolute lashings of rain there was a healthy turnout of women. This just shows you that inclement weather is just another excuse and if you really want to get a workout in you will! At the moment the class is held on a Saturday morning at 10am but there have been many requests to run midweek classes so that is something that will be looked into the immediate future too.

Being a shift worker I know what it’s like to work weekends and sometimes certain times don’t suit everyone. Going forward obviously when the winter months creep in it will throw up difficulties but if the demand is there then a suitable indoor venue will try to be sourced somewhere.

At the moment the classes are in their infancy so I will just continue to offer the service to the people of Johnstown and if they want to join in and come along they are more than welcome!!"