CARP – It’s been three years in the making, but the Carp Fitness Park is opening just in time for your fall fitness regime.

The park, a dream of fitness enthusiast and community volunteer Kathy Fischer, started in 2016 with a proposal to the City of Ottawa. The city said it would pay for half in the park group linked with a non-profit and fundraised the other half. The proposal was approved by winter 2017. Carp Health Access (CHA) joined the cause and by 2018 had raised $13,900 of the needed roughly $52,000.

Since then, the CHA has hosted several fundraising events as well as getting a big boost from a generous Glebe-ite.

On July 11, 2019 the CHA had reached its base goal, and on July 8, 2020 construction on the outdoor, fully accessible fitness park began at its Langstaff Drive location.

“This has been a labour of love for myself and my fellow board members at CHA,” Tara Azulay released in a statement today. “We’re excited it’s finally complete. Fellow Carpies, please join us for the opening ceremony on Sept. 26.”

The construction is complete, but the official opening will be held Saturday, sept. 26 at 10 a.m. for an official opening and ribbon cutting.

There will be a live equipment demonstration and a mini-tradeshow featuring health and wellness-related (and other) businesses from the Village of Carp. COVID-19 protocols as they exist at that date will be followed at the event.

Organizers ask you register in advance for the event here so they can gauge the numbers expected.