Fort Walton Beach opens $195,000 outdoor fitness center at Ferry Park

Posted by author December 5, 2024 Fitness

Fort Walton Beach opens 5,000 outdoor fitness center at Ferry Park

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FORT WALTON BEACH — The City of Fort Walton Beach has officially opened several new additions in Ferry Park.

On Wednesday, the city hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a $195,000 outdoor fitness court that was funded through several sources, such as $100,000 from the Recreation Department, $55,000 from the city’s half-cent sales tax, $30,000 from a National Fitness Foundation grant and $10,000 for a sunshade over the facility.

“The city’s been very fortunate over the last many years to be able to continue to add in recreation amenities in Fort Walton Beach,” City Manager Jeff Peters said.

With the new fitness center, residents can use their body weight to perform a full workout in only seven minutes by rotating through seven zones, including core, squat, push, lunge, pull, agility and bend.

To demonstrate the park features, Fort Walton Beach police Officer Austin Howard and Fort Walton Beach Fire Department Battalion Chief Bobby Anderson competed head-to-head for the right to cut the ribbon, with Howard taking the victory.

Peters praised the Public Works Department’s efforts to install the fitness center and add several pickleball courts to Ferry Park, adding to the already extensive list of courts in parks dotted across Fort Walton Beach.

The ceremony also featured the unveiling of two trees in the park dedicated to the memory of former Mayor Mike Anderson and former city Administrative Coordinator Carole Jones, who died earlier this year.

“What a great day for the city to introduce not only this facility, but pickleball courts, tennis courts and everything that we have in this park,” Fort Walton Beach Mayor Dick Rynearson said.