The city of Benton Harbor may have found a location for some outdoor fitness equipment it purchased in 2021 but hasn’t used.
$50,000 grants from the National Fitness, Whirlpool, and Corewell Health helped the city purchase the Priority Health Fitness Court that would enable users to do strength training with their own body weight. However, City Manager Alex Little told the city parks and recreation committee this week a location for the equipment has been elusive.
“Initially, the plan was to put it at City Center park across the street, but it was later decided that with the monument going in there and other things, that that would not be the best place for it,” Little said.
Little said the equipment has been sitting in storage at 200 Paw Paw Avenue for years.
After some digging, Little has finally identified property just across the street from Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park on the north side of Main Street that would be ideal for the fitness court. The site is owned by Chris Cook’s company, ARP Global Holdings. Cook has agreed to lease the parcel to the city for $100 per year.
The committee agreed to recommend the proposed site to the full Benton Harbor City Commission.
