On November 5, the Rotary Clubs of Cornwall Sunrise and Cornwall celebrated the completion of the final phase of the Rotary Outdoor Gym in Lamoureux Park, a free fitness facility designed to promote healthy lifestyles in the community. Mayor Justin Towndale joined Rotary members and community supporters in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion, which also honored those who contributed by purchasing engraved stones.
This outdoor gym has been a vision in the making for over a decade, inspired initially by former Rotary Club member Sebastian Warner, who saw a similar setup in Whitby and brought the idea back to Cornwall. Rotary Club member Patrick Clarke, who was also inspired by workout stations he saw while running near Oshawa, played a pivotal role in bringing the concept to life. “I saw workout areas every 300-400 meters, and I thought it would be a great idea to bring to Cornwall,” Clarke said. “It’s wonderful to see people here all the time, using the equipment, and the project has held up really well.”
Bette Miller, the Rotary Club’s chair of public relations, highlighted the gym’s importance, especially during the pandemic when the facility became a popular spot for both individual exercise and organized fitness groups. “It’s been great to see all kinds of people using the space for personal workouts and group classes,” Miller remarked. “This final phase, which connects the gym to the bike path, completes our vision for a community fitness hub.”
Special thanks were extended to the project’s suppliers: Andy Derix of Prestige Brick & Stone, Marie Sayers from Kingston Monuments’ Cornwall office, and Joel Lebreque of Cornwall Landscaping, for their continuous support, advice, and coordination throughout the project’s duration.
