tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post8245920900071888381..comments2023-10-25T03:38:09.523-04:00Comments on Unedit my heart: Can Street Furniture Bring Street Fitness? Find out at Openfile TorontoLeah Sandalshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-33589835102639719552011-02-28T12:44:33.412-05:002011-02-28T12:44:33.412-05:00Hi Michael,
Great comment. I tend to think about ...Hi Michael,<br /><br />Great comment. I tend to think about the economic accessiblity--which is great with these outdoor gyms, of course--and less about their physical accessibility. There does seem to be a lack of pedestrian bridges in Toronto, particularly across the Lakeshore. I was just running across Lakeshore at Leslie today and thinking "man, I have no idea how a person with a stroller, walker, or a wheelchair deals with this traffic regularly!" They've lengthened the pedestrian-crossing times at that intersection, but it's still a scary one.Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-54632052604875005502011-02-27T11:17:46.631-05:002011-02-27T11:17:46.631-05:00Hey Leah,
I am totally into these things and use ...Hey Leah,<br /><br />I am totally into these things and use the two machines at the bottom of High Park along the water all year round.<br /><br />Run around the park - use those machineson the water - run home through the park: $0 in membership fees.<br /><br />The biggest problem is getting across two major 6-lane speedways (The Queensway and Lakeshore Blvd.) to get to the water from the park however. You have to be patient and not care that it is slowing down your workout or whatever. At the crossing that I normally use a cyclist was recently struck and killed.<br /><br />So basically: Good on the city for creating this infrastructure - now it would be great if there was a way that made it more accessible. A pedestrian footbridge would connect the waterfront and the city's biggest park in a significant way while increasing safety at a small cost.Michael Wheelerhttp://praxistheatre.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-76398580600718792802011-02-25T12:46:47.968-05:002011-02-25T12:46:47.968-05:00Hey sportsbabel,
Thanks for your comment!
I thin...Hey sportsbabel,<br /><br />Thanks for your comment!<br /><br />I think Caroline Fusco's got a lot of interesting research (most of which I don't fully understand, because I'm not an academic) around the "healthification" of public space too. I'm sorry I couldn't include more of her comments in the article, as she also took pains to point out the impact of the profit motive on this trend-- outdoor-gym businesses, worthy as they may be, make cash off these developments, and market their "health solution" to cities as much as possible.<br /><br />I wondered, talking to her, about this approach to health care. While it's great to have these facilities, some people do need one on one -- or at least human to human -- health supports. How much are these expected to close the gap?<br /><br />I was also intrigued by a piece of equipment in some of these sites called "Tai Chi Spinners". To use them, you can stand or sit and spin wheels with your hands, activating muscles in your arms and shoulders as well. It was funny to see these, I guess, becuase Tai Chi, from what I understand, typically doesn't require any equipment at all. Maybe this is profitable "equipmentization" and "individualization" of that traditionally social or eqiupment-free type of activity.<br /><br />Anyway, I can also say that on the flipside I tried out these pieces of equipment as well and I did find them overall fun to use and definitely, if not a heavy workout, then a favourable step up from my usual deskbound total lack of movement.Leah Sandalshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13586221448338828889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7342911384518459004.post-23732591828159131142011-02-25T10:43:18.059-05:002011-02-25T10:43:18.059-05:00hey, thanks for this! did not know that T-dot was ...hey, thanks for this! did not know that T-dot was getting into the outdoor gym game.....although i echo caroline fusco's views that this leads to a particular (mechanical) concept of fitness that is what really makes it "work" rather than "play".<br /><br />i'm reminded of a quote by Baudrillard: "there is a direct line that runs from the medieval instruments of torture, via the industrial movements of production-line work, to the techniques of schooling the body by using mechanical apparatuses.".....now available at the park!sportsbabelhttp://www.sportsbabel.net/noreply@blogger.com