By ALIN HETTHays Post
What began as a conversation about healthy aging has evolved into an ambitious vision for the future of wellness in Hays.
Leaders from HaysMed's Center for Health Improvement are partnering with Greenfields Outdoor Fitness to create the Lifelong Vitality Project, a $1.1 million initiative designed to promote physical activity, social connection and wellness for people of all ages and abilities.
The project, which has been in development for almost three years, would transform the outdoor space east of the Center for Health Improvement into a comprehensive fitness and recreation area featuring outdoor exercise equipment, youth activity zones, ADA-accessible workout stations, expanded play areas and gathering spaces.
The project is envisioned as a free community resource rather than an amenity limited to fitness center members.
Stephanie Howie, director of fitness at the Center for Health Improvement, said the project is all about the community's well-being.
"We want people to get well and stay well," Howie said. "This is really about community health, It's not about membership. It's about creating a place where everyone in our community can come and be active."
A vision based on wellness
At the heart of the project is a concept Howie describes as lifelong vitality: maintaining strength, activity and independence throughout every stage of life.
The initiative was inspired by several developments occurring around the HaysMed campus, including the growth of The Grove senior living community, the expansion of the city's trail system and the presence of the HaysMed day care facility adjacent to the proposed project site.
Those elements led project planners to embrace an intergenerational approach. Howie described what intergenerational means to HaysMed.
"It's an active connection between generations and an opportunity to enrich people and the environment,” she said. “While promoting a wealth of benefits through exercise.”
To help shape the project, HaysMed assembled a committee consisting of therapists, exercise physiologists, volunteer services staff, community members and representatives from multiple age groups.
The goal, to create a space where children, adults, seniors and individuals with disabilities could all exercise, interact and benefit together.
Three distinct activity areas
Plans call for the project to be divided into three distinct areas, each serving a unique purpose.
One section will focus on youth and athletic development, featuring sprint lanes, agility markers, medicine ball stations, battle ropes and plyometric training equipment. The space will support individual workouts, athletic training and group fitness classes.
A second area will emphasize accessibility. ADA-compliant exercise stations will be installed on specialized surfaces that accommodate wheelchairs and mobility devices. Many pieces of equipment are designed so individuals using wheelchairs can exercise alongside able-bodied participants.
"It's not just for people with disabilities," Howie explained. "It's designed so everyone can use it together."
A third section adjacent to the day care center will include shaded fitness equipment focused on cardiovascular health and strength training. Existing trees will remain whenever possible, supplemented by shade structures to improve comfort during the summer months.
According to Howie, plans also include expanded turf areas for stretching, outdoor classes and recreational activities.
One of the more unique features to be put in place is a putting green area designed to appeal to golfers and older adults.
"We have a strong golf community here," Howie said. "We thought it would be a fun addition that encourages activity and social interaction."
Built for all ages and abilities
The outdoor equipment supplied through Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, who partnered with the Center for Health Improvement for the project, is designed to accommodate users with varying fitness levels and physical abilities.
Many machines feature adjustable resistance systems similar to indoor fitness equipment. Users can increase or decrease workout intensity while maintaining safe movement patterns.
Howie said the equipment also uses recoil systems and built-in safety mechanisms to prevent abrupt movement and reduce injury risk. The strength area will feature a bench press machine that can be used solo rather than have a spotter due to the recoil systems put in place.
Outdoor cardio equipment under consideration include treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines and even dual-user ski machines designed to encourage interaction between participants. Another feature of the treadmills and ellipticals is that they do not need electricity to be used, Howie said.
"It creates opportunities for conversation while exercising," Howie said. "You might have someone younger working out alongside someone older, and that's exactly the kind of interaction we're hoping to create."
More than exercise
Project planners, including Leanna Swart, director of marketing for HaysMed, said they believe the benefits will extend well beyond physical fitness.
Howie said she envisions the space being used by personal trainers, physical therapists, occupational therapists and cardiac rehabilitation specialists.
Patients recovering from strokes or heart conditions could gradually transition from indoor rehabilitation programs to supervised outdoor exercise.
The area could also host educational programming, community classes, wellness events and support groups if needed.
“I feel like Hays is really becoming a healthy community,” Howie said. “I think part of our obligation, or our duty, we are a certified medical accredited fitness facility, and being connected to the hospital, it's really our duty to make sure this community is healthy.”
Perhaps most importantly, organizers hope the project strengthens social connections.
"Socialization and emotional health are huge components of overall wellness," Howie said. "Getting outside, getting fresh air and connecting with other people makes a difference."
Weather resistant design
Because Kansas weather can be unpredictable, durability has been a consideration throughout the planning process.
Greenfields representatives told organizers equipment coatings can be customized based on regional climate conditions to resist corrosion, heat and weather-related wear.
The project also incorporates significant infrastructure improvements, including 25,000 square feet of turf and poured-in-place surfaces designed for accessibility and reduced maintenance.
Security cameras, additional lighting, benches, trash receptacles, storage facilities and updated signage are also included in the plans.
The existing gazebo will undergo refurbishment, and the day care play area will be expanded and upgraded with new turf surfaces.
Questions raised during a recent public presentation addressed everything from summer heat and storm safety to drainage, snow removal and long-term maintenance.
Project leaders emphasized the design prioritizes accessibility, durability and minimal upkeep.
Jeffrey Brull, director of the HaysMed Foundation, said the turf is designed to handle any rain.
“The turf that we would install, like on a football field, it's got multiple layers of subsurface underneath that are meant to kind of handle the water,” Brull said. “But that's the part of what makes this so pricey.”
The equipment is backed by warranties ranging from 10 to 15 years.
Funding progress
Brull said the overall project budget totals just less than $1.1 million and has two phases.
Phase one was centered around improvements that have been completed inside the Center for Health Improvement, including upgrades on new cardio and strength equipment. Brull said the Center has put forth about $250,000 toward those improvements, and phase two is now underway.
Phase two efforts are focused on completing the outdoor component and reaching their funding goal.
Brull said the project still needs $375,000 to reach its goal.
"We continue to pursue grant opportunities," Brull said, "but participation is just as important as dollars."
He said grant organizations often evaluate community support when considering funding requests.
"The number of people who are willing to participate and support a project can be just as important as the amount of money raised," Brull said.
The foundation is accepting traditional cash donations as well as gifts of stock, donor-advised fund contributions and charitable IRA rollovers.
Looking towards next spring
Brull said he remains optimistic that fundraising goals can be achieved by next spring.
Once funding is secured as anticipated, Brull said construction will begin, with installation requiring only six to eight weeks once equipment arrives.
Because Greenfields manufactures its equipment in the United States, organizers expect relatively short lead times once the project moves forward.
"It's for everyone," Howie said. "That's what makes it special."
To see a video from Greenfield Outdoor Fitness of how the equipment is used firsthand, click here.