YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
. The consequences of this lack of activity include: lack of fitness, postural deformity, reduced mental capability and long-term consequences, such as cardiovascular disease and back pain. The reasons why children and young people are exposed to lack of activity are: spaces for children to play and be active are becoming increasingly smaller and the use of electronic media is increasing.
The aim is to give children and young people the chance to get involved in sporting activities at any time in the open air. For this purpose in the coming years Scherz e.V. is constructing in Cologne and its surrounding area Trimm-dich, or keep-fit apparatus, which can also be used at the same time by adults of any age. The equipment and exercises have been selected jointly with institutes at the German Sport University in Cologne.
The new keep-fit path in the extended urban forest was the precursor for sports enthusiasts in Köln-Lindenthal. Ex-FC-Köln player, Matthias Scherz's company Scherz e. V. financed the facilities, which cost almost 50,000 Euros and is also putting up the money for the upkeep of the equipment. Scherz e.V. was able to provide the money with the aid of donations received. On behalf of Lord Mayor Jürgen Roters, Mayor Elfi Scho-Antwerpes thanked Matthias Scherz for his civic commitment. "As an FC player you were the public idol of the fans. Now you have become the idol of the Cologne fitness enthusiasts here in the urban forest. You are providing an attractive variety of activities. I should be pleased if plenty of children and young people also use the facilities and really let off steam here."
Fit in Cologne
Scherz e.V. undertook the construction of eight new sports facilities in the urban forest after the Municipality had demolished the dilapidated, old keep-fit path. The new equipment is located together in one place. It comprises apparatus of differing degrees of difficulty. The target group for the equipment is in the first place occasional and hobby athletes. However, in the meantime the keep-fit path is also being used by creative personal trainers and professional athletes.
"The new keep-fit path equipment has so far been accepted superbly. Every time I come past, someone is busy using it. That is exactly what we wanted to achieve. The equipment is supposed to make you want to move. Everyone should see how much fun you can have in being active," said Matthias Scherz.
Matthias Scherz went on to point out his club's motto: "Our motto at Scherz e. V is 'fit rather than fat'. Of course on the one hand a healthy diet is important for this, but on the other, so is sport. That is why I am delighted that together with our many partners we have created the opportunity not only to jog, but also to practise sport here in the midst of the urban forest. I think that it is an attractive course and I hope that it will help to make Cologne a little bit fitter. The modern keep-fit path makes it possible at any time for the leisure sportsman or woman to use various items of equipment in a targeted and graded manner to train and stretch their muscles in an attractive setting near the Adenauerweiher. The keep-fit path can be used by young and old. Scherz e. V. is particularly keen to motivate children and young people to take part regularly in sport and to eat a healthy diet.”
"In setting this up we deliberately took care not to install sports equipment for top-class athletes who have been practising sport already. Our aim was to reach those people in Cologne who have not hitherto been active in sport. This has been a resounding success," comments Patrick Pihan, Scherz e.V. Sales and Marketing Director.
TM / www.koeln.de
Photos: Scherz e.V.
