City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting

Committee: Facilities, Parks and Recreation

Cost: $90,000 ($80,000 outdoor gym station, $10,000 hammock poles)

Location:  Location TBD based on need and impact

Short Description: Add alternative spaces for teens and adults to exercise and relax outside! This project will include an outdoor fitness station to make exercise accessible for more residents and hammock poles for residents to unwind outside.

Long Description:

Many Cambridge residents are looking to stay fit and maximize their time outside. Outdoor gyms and cross-training stations let us adapt our existing green space to include a comprehensive workout for free! With many exercises that use a person’s body weight, these fitness areas can be used by a range of abilities and ages. Outdoor fitness also provides the additional stress-relieving, energy boost of being in fresh air and natural light. New fitness stations in our parks would encourage residents to work out with friends or neighbors, try out new exercises, or make time for a quick workout when they’re already at the park. Fitness areas along the Charles River (on state-run parks) are very popular but not easily accessed by all residents. More neighborhoods could benefit from fitness stations within a short walk, jog, or bike ride!

Residents also want to unwind and relax in our parks. To encourage more outdoor exposure and natural stress reduction, the city can create dedicated spaces for lounging with hammock poles. These poles will let residents easily hang in a hammock without damaging trees, which are important to protect for the city’s heat reduction and air quality. Additionally, when hammock poles are clustered, residents have the option to relax together and enjoy company, like in the “hammock groves” at Somerville’s Lincoln Park or New York’s Governor’s Island. If this pilot is successful, future City projects could expand the hammock program with more poles and additional areas!