We can help with groundworks and offer a range of surfacing options to help transform potential redundant space into a new outdoor gym.
11th March 2025
Put simply, groundworks prepare the land below and above surface level, before a structure goes on it. It encompasses excavation, site clearance and any necessary installation of drainage.
Every project is different, and extensive groundworks aren’t always required. Often, outdoor gym equipment can be fitted straight on to grass surfaces, existing mulch, wet pour or tarmac without any other preparation, particularly if there are not specific gym equipment height requirements.
However, generally speaking, this work is recommended if an area is particularly prone to flooding, if old equipment and surfacing requires removal or if you’re installing new surfacing such as wet-pour or rubber mulch.
Typically the process will incorporate:
Yes, we do. Groundworks and surfacing are part of our full-service, in-house offering and we always offer them in areas which are liable to flooding. Here are some examples of locations where we have helped transform redundant locations into new outdoor gyms.
The Hive College, in Erdington, north of Birmingham, is one example of how we’ve transformed a formerly underused patch of land into a facility everyone involved in the institution can use and enjoy. The college caters for some 90 students aged 19-25 who have a range of disabilities and different learning needs, and it’s run by The Wilson Stuart UCB Partnership Trust.
When The Hive wanted to enhance its exercise facilities, in the interests of students’ physical and mental wellbeing, they came to us.
The unused land encompassed around 175 square metres, and here we created an outdoor gym plus space for freeform activity. Among the six gym pieces fitted were inclusive ones for wheelchair users. Together they offered a mix of cardio, strength and flexibility activities.
Our groundworks here started with clearing the plants, shrubs, paving stones and drains that were on-site when we began the project. Along with a hardwearing stone base, we installed a timber edging, finishing the area with a rubber mulch surface. We knew this would be a long-lasting solution, with a flat, durable space for the physical activity which the college wanted to see happen.
Kensington Memorial Park is a thriving facility for local residents in its part of London. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea wanted a multi-use workout hub everyone in the community could use, in attractive landscaped ground and with as many user stations as possible. The area encompasses 180 square metres.
Fresh Air Fitness were appointed for the project, starting with the removal of old play equipment and the relocation of large decorative boulders. Then we added a new path for access to the site – which we made more pleasant to visit by adding picnic tables and benches. We finished the area with a layer of mulch surfacing, turfing the surrounding area. The resulting 30-user gym included pieces for wheelchair users our Big Rig, while incorporating strength and cardio training options, complete with full instructions.
Feedback on both of these projects has been incredibly positive. The groundworks and surfacing have allowed for easy accessibility and year-round use of their gyms, supporting healthier lifestyle in their communities, meeting the objectives set by both school and council.
If you have a piece of land you thought you couldn’t use for an outdoor gym, do think again. With the right groundworks, Fresh Air Fitness can convert underused, unloved or regularly waterlogged spaces into fully functioning gyms serving a whole community.
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