AARP NY Opens New Outdoor Fitness Park for All Ages!

To mark the 60^th anniversary of AARP and support our wellness and healthy living initiatives, AARP has committed to opening 53 AARP-sponsored fitness parks over the next three years—one in every state, plus D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. AARP is working with national nonprofit, FitLot, who will construct over a dozen outdoor fitness parks in 2019.

As a part of this nationwide project, AARP NY worked with the city of Buffalo’s local Parks and Recreation department to open an outdoor fitness park in Buffalo, New York designed for people of all ages. AARP NY State Director, Beth Finkel will be on site to welcome community members to the new park on August 7, 2019. The outdoor fitness park is located in Horace “Billy” Johnson Park and includes FitLot™ exercise equipment designed to be adaptable to meet a wide range of fitness levels and abilities. The parks include ample floor space for group exercises and users can attach resistance bands to the upright beams of the structure at ankle, waist and shoulder height for more varied routines.

Join AARPNY and Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown on:
Wednesday, August 7 | 11:00am - 1:00pm
Horace "Billy" Johnson Park
25 Hager Street, Buffalo
(near park entrance at Northland Ave & Donaldson Rd)
There will be FREE healthy food, giveaways* and fitness equipment demonstrations!
*While supplies last

Please RSVP for this event: AARPNY Buffalo FitLot Park unveiling

Public spaces are essential to a vibrant community. It’s no surprise that a recent AARP survey found that safe parks are among the top three community features people want in their neighborhoods. Some of the benefits outlined in AARP’s Creating Parks and Public Spaces for People of All Ages: A Step-by-Step Guide, include:

• Improved physical and mental health.

• Enhanced community connections.

• Added economic value and cost saving benefits.

Healthy aging is one of AARP NY’s major priorities. In addition to the opening of the first AARP sponsored outdoor fitness park in Buffalo, New York, AARP NY is hosting various events, workshops and programs around healthy aging]. Find an event near you at: https://local.aarp.org/new-york-ny/aarp-events/

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Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Contact: Erik Kriss, ekriss@aarp.org, 518-360-9213

AARP Opens New Outdoor Fitness Park in Buffalo at Horace ‘Billy’ Johnson Park to Commemorate Association’s 60^th Anniversary

BUFFALO, N.Y. —Today, AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel opened an AARP sponsored outdoor fitness park in Buffalo’s Horace “Billy” Johnson Park, the fifth such park to open in the United States and the only one planned in New York.

Over the next several years, AARP plans to sponsor a fitness park in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to commemorate the association’s 60^th anniversary.

AARP is working with FitLot, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping communities find the resources they need to plan, build and program outdoor fitness parks, to construct over a dozen parks in 2019. Each park will include FitLot^TM exercise equipment that can be adapted to meet a wide range of fitness levels and abilities.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to open this outdoor fitness park, right here in Buffalo,” AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel said before joining Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown and other officials to cut the ribbon. “This is a space to play and stay healthy, free to the public, including our members. It’s my sincere hope that this park will get good use and bring together Buffalo in a new, healthy way for years to come.

“These outdoor fitness parks represent AARP’s commitment to supporting health and wellness and livable communities all across our country,” Finkel added.

Erie County’s population is aging; the number of residents 65 and over jumped by 19 percent from 2007 to 2017, while the county’s under-65 population declined by 2 percent, according to a 2019 AARP-commissioned study by the Center for an Urban Future.

In addition to Finkel and Mayor Brown, the AARP opening ceremony included Andy Rabb, Buffalo’s Deputy Commission for Parks and Recreation; Adam Mejerson, Founder and Executive Director of FitLot; Ann Monroe, Western New York representative on AARP New York’s volunteer Executive Council; and about 50 volunteers and community members.

Today’s event featured free healthy food, giveaways* and FitLot^TM exercise equipment demonstrations.

“I thank AARP for selecting Buffalo for the first AARP-sponsored outdoor fitness park in New York State,” said City of Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown. “I am proud to lead an Administration that prioritizes the health and wellness of our cherished senior residents. As an Age-Friendly City, the City of Buffalo values successful relationships with stellar organizations like AARP to ensure we are building a City of Opportunity for all residents, including members of our older population.”

The next outdoor fitness park sponsored by AARP is scheduled to open Saturday in Cincinnati, Ohio, and more than a dozen parks are planned for 2019 in locations across the country.

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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

*While supplies last