NSA Naples Opens Outdoor Fit Park

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Donavan K Patubo | Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples Commanding Officer Capt. James Stewart, center, participates in a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Support Site Fit Park, Nov. 6, 2020. This outdoor exercise facility was constructed in a joint effort between NSA Naples Morale, Welfare and Recreation department, NSA Naples public works department, and Mirabella Housing. NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Donavan K. Patubo)  

NAPLES, ITALY

11.06.2020

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Donavan K Patubo 

U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples

The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department, in coordination with NSA Naples public works department (PWD) and Mirabella Housing, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Fit Park onboard the base Support Site, Nov. 5.

The Support Site Fit Park project was awarded on June 24, 2020, and construction began on Sept. 16. The anticipated time frame for this project to be completed was 90 days, but thanks to planning and foresight on part of PWD and Mirabella Housing, the park was finished in less than 60 days.

“For this project, we knew it was essential, and we saw the restrictions looming on the horizon, so we worked with Mirabella and made sure their schedule was accelerated where it could be, and in a safe way,” said Support Site Assistant Public Works Officer Lt. Zach Christensen. “It’s all a matter of priorities. We only have so much bandwidth, so we made sure that the bandwidth we had in our office to approve materials, requests and safety plans was streamlined for this project above others because we knew it needed to happen quicker.”

The Fit Park provides opportunities for a variety of physical fitness exercises in an outdoor gym setting. Equipment ranges from moderate to vigorous levels of fitness intensity to meet the needs of many patrons.

“Based on your fitness level, we have a lot of options,” said MWR Naples Fitness Director Austin Holmes. “It could be body-weight exercises alone, or you could do a combination of body-weight exercises and resistance bands. If you have your own weights at home, you could bring those and do circuit training. There are endless options.”

The timing for opening the Fit Park could not have been planned any better. Recent Italian policies limit indoor gym usage exclusively to active-duty service members, so the Fit Park offers other community members the perfect way to break the monotony of indoor home workouts.

“Our priority here at NSA Naples is keeping our service members mission ready and in peak physical condition, but we also want to provide an opportunity for family members and other civilians of our community to get outside, get a good workout, and perhaps more importantly, have a little fun doing so,” said NSA Naples Commanding Officer Capt. James Stewart. “Obviously this will be a great way for people to improve their physical health, but it can also help improve the overall morale of the entire community, and I look forward to seeing everyone out here making use of this wonderful facility.”

The Fit Park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to all patrons age 16 and older. Children from ages ten to 15 can use the Fit Park when they are with an adult.

NSA Naples is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed, when they are needed, to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia.

For more news about NSA Naples and the Sailors who serve aboard the installation, please follow us on Instagram @NSANaples and Facebook at facebook.com/NSANaples.


• Date Taken: 11.06.2020
• Date Posted: 11.09.2020 05:11
• Story ID: 382633
• Location: NAPLES, IT