Photo Credit: Hillier Ignite Foundation
In 2016, Virginia Beach, Va., reaffirmed its strength in parks and recreation by revealing a new reason to visit the city and enjoy the oceanfront—the Hillier Ignite Fitness Park. Local businessman Luke Hillier formed the Hillier Ignite Foundation and approached architectural firm WPL with an exciting idea: give the community an outdoor park with play equipment geared toward adults with health and fitness as the focus. WPL began by researching local gyms, trending workout equipment, potential user groups, and successful projects throughout the country. Through its research and design, WPL revealed how this outdoor gym might work and exposed some unmet needs in the community.
Before this park concept, there were no outdoor public parks or recreational facilities in the city that catered to active adults. Adult fitness was often focused on specific workout plans in a structured interior space. In this case, the fitness park was designed around the idea that fitness can be achieved through play—one of the most important parts of human development that is often lost as people enter adulthood. For locals and visitors, this brought a whole new meaning to “going to the beach.”
A Place To Meet
Located on 36th Street between the Sheraton and the Belvedere hotels, the park is centrally located for runners and bikers coming from various neighborhoods. Public parking is within walking distance, providing an opportunity for a great meet-up spot for those living elsewhere in the city. Garages and on-street parking spaces were important factors for the location of the park.