The Ogdensburg Parks & Recreation Department received a $4,500 grant from the Health Initiative’s “Creating Healthy Places” St. Lawrence County Project, a grant funded by the state Department of Health. The grant will be used to purchase two outdoor fitness stations along the Maple City Trail. Ogdensburg Parks & Recreation Director Matthew J. Curatolo is pictured receiving the funds from Karen Bage (center), Creating Healthy Places director, and Tracy Moody, Creating Healthy Places coordinator.

OGDENSBURG -- The Ogdensburg Parks & Recreation Department will install two outdoor fitness stations along the Maple City Trail using funds provided by the St. Lawrence Health Initiative.

The “Energi” outdoor fitness stations, one for adults and the other for local youth, were purchased with a $4,500 grant received from the Health Initiative’s “Creating Healthy Places” project. The project is funded by the state Department of Health.

The grant will enhance the city’s Maple City Trail, a 2.2 mile walking, running and biking trail completed in 1997. The trail begins at the Dobisky Visitors’ Center and winds along the shores of the Oswegatchie River, before looping around at the Black Bridge, said Parks & Recreation Director Matthew J. Curatolo.

The stations will be installed on green space near the Elsa M. Luksich Municipal Pool and the entrance to the Maple City Trail near the U.S. Customs House, according to Curatolo.

The “Creating Healthy Places” project aims to prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases in St. Lawrence County. The project works to implement sustainable policies, systems and environmental changes in communities where residents, live, work and play.

The project’s goal is to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior, as well as increasing access to and consumption of healthy foods rather than foods with minimal nutritional value.

This is the second such grant the department has received from the project in the last year. Last fall a $1,500 grant was used to purchase 40 hockey and figure skates for the department’s public skating at the Lockwood Civic Center.