UPMC sponsored fitness court in McCandless nears completion

North Hills residents who want to improve their health no longer need to shell out money for a gym membership.

Work on a new fitness court in McCandless is complete, with only minor details remaining, said town manager Bob Grimm during the July 13 council meeting.

“We’re waiting for the decals to be installed, but everything is ready to go,” he said. “We’re working on details for a soft opening, which we possibly will do on Facebook Live.”

A date for the fitness court’s official opening has not been announced.

The 32-foot by 35-foot court was designed by the National Fitness Campaign, which provided a $30,000 grant for the project. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center provided a $60,000 sponsorship and the town contributed about $41,500.

The fitness court has seven exercise stations, 30 pieces of body weight training equipment, and can accommodate as many as 28 people at a time. It is located in the Town Hall Recreation Complex adjacent to the Lorraine G. Rogers soccer fields along Ingomar Road.

UPMC’s support for the fitness court project is the result of the health care provider’s UPMC’s 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment, which defined chronic disease management — specifically cardiovascular disease and stroke — as a significant health need for communities in the North Hills. Exercise can be an important part in preventative health care for conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis, said UPMC officials.