Outdoor fitness area to overlook Schaumburg lake

The Schaumburg Park District hopes to help residents not miss the great outdoors this year by working out only in gyms and fitness centers.

The district is preparing to install 20 pieces of fitness equipment in a 3,000-square-foot area overlooking Volkening Lake at 900 W. Schaumburg Road, next to the Schaumburg Police Department.

The equipment will be of the types generally associated with indoor facilities, such as an elliptical machine, cardio walker, stationary bicycle, leg press, chest press and lap pulldown bar.

But like playground equipment, they are designed with the durability to be outside all year round - even if they're not necessarily being used during the colder months, Superintendent of Parks Todd King said.

"We worked with our recreation fitness people to pick those pieces out," King said.

All the equipment is also compliant with accessibility regulations, and there will be a stretching area nearby.

Though this is the first place the Schaumburg Park District will be installing such outdoor equipment, it represents a growing trend King said he learned about at a recent industry conference.

Volkening Lake seemed like the best place in the park district to introduce the concept, King added.

"We thought it would be a nice setting," he said.

The entire project will cost $230,000.

While grading and concrete work on the site already has started, some of aspects of the project like the installation of rubber surfacing will have to wait until temperatures return to about 55 degrees or above, King said. The outdoor facility is expected to be ready for use at some point during the spring.

Volkening Lake is already known for its canoe and paddle boat rentals as well as the recent development of the Schaumburg Park Foundation's Tribute Park, where memorial pathway stones in a variety of sizes can be purchased and personalized by members of the community.