Second free public outdoor Fitness Court coming to Mt. Pleasant

What’s happening: Mt. Pleasant Public Schools (MPPS) has been awarded a $40,000 National Fitness Campaign grant to build an outdoor fitness facility on a MPPS property in 2027 that will be open to the students and the Mt. Pleasant community. 

What it is: The state-of-the-art fitness facility is called a Fitness Court® and is approximately half the size of a basketball court. Users can rotate through seven stations for a full-body workout in about seven minutes. These stations include zones for pull and push movements, agility exercises, circuit training, core exercises, squats, and lunges. A similar facility was installed in Union Township at McDonald Park in 2023. 

What they’re saying: “All of us at Mt. Pleasant Public Schools and across the community are thrilled to receive this grant, which can help us get outside, get moving and get healthy,” says MPPS superintendent, Jennifer Verleger. 

“This fitness facility will be a great local resource to help us spend more time outdoors getting active instead of staying indoors staring at a screen. We are deeply grateful to the National Fitness Campaign and all our partners on this project. It brings MPPS and our community together in our journey toward better health and wellness.” 

What’s next: In addition to the National Fitness Campaign grant, matching funds and additional grants will help fund the project. Site and design decisions will be made in the fall of 2026.