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Outdoor gym equipment is a growing trend in the landscaping of public spaces. Our recent landscape construction projects at Balwyn Community Centre and Mill Park Leisure, north of Melbourne, have both made use of outdoor exercise equipment.

Now, more than ever, this type of facility is essential for the people of Melbourne. Here, we’re exploring the 9 essential reasons Balwyn-area residents should definitely be using their local outdoor gym at the Balwyn Community Centre.

Outdoor exercise equipment at Balwyn Community Centre

Outdoor exercise equipment and Tennis Court at Balwyn Community Centre

#1 Exercise is Fundamental to Your Health

It’s no secret that getting enough exercise is essential to our overall health and wellbeing. To encourage more exercise among the Balwyn community, building an outdoor gym in park areas gives people an extra nudge to work out.

Whether you walk past the park on your way to pick up the kids from school or you notice it’s there on your drive to the markets, encouraging our community to exercise and stay healthy is fundamental.

Long story short, if you needed an excuse to work out at a beautiful facility, outdoor gyms are the answer.

#2 Get Some Fresh Air at an Outdoor Gym

Taking your workout routine outside gives you an added boost. There’s something special about breathing in the fresh air, surrounded by gorgeous greenery and the bright blue sky.

It’s so much better than feeling stuck in a stuffy gym or working out in your garage. So, get some fresh air and enjoy the beautiful Melbourne summer at an outdoor gym instead.

#3 Connect with Nature at your local outdoor gym

With walking trails and outdoor furniture included in this outdoor gym, Melbourne locals can take a moment to relax and connect with the natural world before or after their exercise routine.

It’s so important to take time to reflect and unwind, especially these days. What better way to practise humility and gratitude than within the calm of nature itself?

#4 Sunshine Boosts Immunity

Vitamin D is a fantastic immunity booster. Therefore, using outdoor exercise equipment not only makes you healthier by forming stronger muscles and more mobility in your body but getting a touch of sunshine, packed with natural Vitamin D is amazing for your health as well.

Just remember to slip, slop, slap before heading to your outdoor exercise session!

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#5 Engage with Your Community at your local outdoor gym

The overarching goal of the Balwyn Community Centre is to connect the community with one another. Sometimes, in our fast-paced world, we can get so caught up in our personal goals that we don’t take the time to truly engage with those around us.

Outdoor gym exercise outdoor exercise equipment

Outdoor gym exercise with chest press machine and leg raise. Outdoor gyms are a great way to connect with the community.

With an outdoor exercise and gym facility right at your fingertips, your friends and neighbours can have a healthy reason to connect with one another, whether through a community yoga class in the park or simply through more unplanned interactions during your daily workout.

#6 Outdoor Gym Facilities Are Perfect for Social Distancing

Let’s face it. The world is radically different than it was just last year and using an outdoor gym will make it easier to stay socially distanced. It’s the perfect way to keep up with your fitness while keeping you and your loved ones as safe as possible.

#7 No Need for an Expensive Gym Membership

One of the best parts about using your local outdoor gym is that it’s completely free. Many Melbourne gyms can be quite expensive. So, save your money and use the amazing outdoor gym facilities at Balwyn Community Centre and Mill Park Leisure instead.

#8 Constructed with High-Quality Materials

Outdoor gym designers put a lot of energy and thought into creating the best possible facilities for the community.

From the cushioned EPDM wet pour rubber to protect your joints during your high-intensity workouts to the thoughtful placement of trees for shade and ambience, you can rest assured that your local outdoor exercise equipment is of the absolute highest quality and built with intention.

#9 Outdoor Gyms Include More Than You’d Expect

Not only does your local outdoor gym have easy-to-use workout machines and useful exercise tools, but it also includes amenities like a tennis court, ping pong tables, walking tracks, a designated yoga area, and shaded gazebos to take a break from the sun.

No matter how you prefer to exercise, there’s something for everyone at an outdoor gym. From playing sport with your mates to breathing through an outdoor yoga session, you can do it all at this outdoor gym in Balwyn.

Yoga mat near the urban wetlands. Balwyn Community Centre

Did you know about this incredible outdoor exercise equipment at your local Balwyn Community Centre? Well, now that you do, it’s time to take advantage of everything it has to offer. Put on your runners, slap on a hat, and invite your neighbours to get some exercise at this stunning facility.

What’s your favourite way to exercise at an outdoor gym?

A boardwalk runs past the yoga mat and the urban wetlands. Balwyn Community Centre.

Outdoor gym equipment installation

Related Landscaping Ideas from Red’s Landscaping and Civil

Balwyn Landscaping – Commercial Project

Balwyn Community Center Redevelopment

Tennis Court Construction Balwyn Community Centre

13 Best Reasons To Preserve Balwyn Urban Wetlands

© 2020 Reds Landscaping and Civil quality commercial landscaping Melbourne

References and further reading

Citizens Park Richmond

Balwyn Community Centre

Find your local Outdoor exercise equipment in Melbourne

Department of Health and Human Services advice.

Balwyn is an inner eastern suburb of Melbourne and lies in the northern part of the city of Boroondara. It was in this area that grazier John Gardiner settled near the point where Gardiners creek meets the Yarra River. The commercial editor of the Argus, Andrew Murray built house named Balwyn which gives the area its name.

How far is Balwyn from the Melbourne CBD?

Balwyn is only 10 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD and in an easterly direction. It was once serviced by the outer loop railway station at Deepdene.

Balwyn Community Centre

The Balwyn Community Centre at 412 Whitehorse Road Surrey Hills was upgraded to ensure it would continue to support the needs of the local Balwyn Community. As well as the upgrades to the buildings, there were landscaping works for the parkland, natural wetlands, exposed aggregate concrete pathways and tennis courts. For this project we were able to showcase all of our commercial landscaping services.

Landscaping Balwyn Community Centre. The Scope of works.

The hard landscaping for the Community Centre

The scope of work for this project included the following hard landscaping construction;

Plain, coloured and exposed aggregate concrete,
In-situ or poured in place concrete garden retaining walls,
Exposed aggregate concrete driveway crossovers,
Concrete upstands, edges, ramps stairs and landings.

The soft landscaping for Balwyn Community Centre

The scope of work for this project included the following soft landscaping installation;

The planting of advanced indigenous trees
The application of appropriate fertilizers
Lawn areas
The planting of native grasses and ornamental plants
Aggregate and Gravel
Imported top soil to Australian Standards
A sophisticated Irrigation System
Areas of mass planting
Mulched garden beds
Planting of Australian Native Shrubs
Garden edging.

Existing trees at the Balwyn Community Centre

The existing tress on the site included the following;

Pin Oak (Quercus palustris),
River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) ,
Narrow leaved black Peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii),
Lemon scented gum (Corymbia citriodora),
Prickly leaved Paperbark ( Melaleuca styphelioides)
Forest Oak (Allocasuarina torulosa),
Drooping She-oak (Allocasuarina verticilata)
Smooth Barked Apple ( Angophora Costata)

Nearly all of these existing trees were kept in the new landscape design.

Native Urban Wetlands

Later in the project rehabilitation of native wetlands was added including a child proof fence.

Tennis Court Repairs and reconstruction

Part of the landscaping included repairs to a tennis court and the construction of another tennis court. A good sport surface must be stable, therefore the new tennis court was constructed with asphalt over 300 mm of roadbase.

Synthetic clay Tennis Court surface

A low maintenance synthetic clay tennis court surface was required to laid over the asphalt. Therefore, the surface chosen was Grassports Policlay. In addition to being low maintenance, Grassports Policlay is a fast draining low maintenance water free tennis surface resulting in the ideal surface for public tennis courts.

A high quality sporting surface was required, therefore the asphalt layers were flattened rigorously in preparation. The very thick roadbase foundation will also help to maintain the stability of the playing surface. Root barriers we also installed to prevent invasive tree roots causing any unevenness to the playing surface.

Soft play surfaces

The soft play coloured surfaces in the landscape was required, so an EPDM wetpour rubber was chosen. In addition to its great colour range, EPDM is a synthetic rubber widely used in the automotive industry. Similarly, its mechanical properties make it ideal for this application. For instance, it has great UV stability, abrasion resistance, ozone resistance and it is water proof. So, the material used was Playkote which was installed as a rubber wet pour over SBR underlay. In addition to the added height, the SBR underlay makes the play surface a little softer. The colourful kids scooter track in Teal, Lime Green and Light Blue Laykold was constructed by Grand Slam Surfaces.

Balwyn Outdoor Gym Equipment

Balwyn Landscaping. Outdoor Gym Equipment ant Balwyn Community Centre

Environmentally Friendly Garden Furniture

Garden furniture including picnic tables, benches and seats were installed to add to the public amenity. In addition to the the amenity and aesthetic provided, recycled materials were also used. To this end, the material used was Enviroslat. Enviroslat is an environmentally friendly low maintenance material produced from HDPE waste mixed with recycled cellulose. The recycled cellulose hardwood waste and rice husks.