Village staff presented plans to install an outdoor fitness court at Hills Park and sought business sponsorships, saying the project already has several financial commitments but needs more private support before construction.

Staff member, Parks & Recreation staff, told attendees the court is intended to expand free, outdoor exercise options for residents and to integrate with existing park programming. “Hills Park is truly a place where fitness and nature go hand in hand,” the staff member said.

The presentation described the court as a body-weight exercise station designed for public, unsupervised use and said the village has received several funding commitments: “we've received $50,000 from the National Fitness Campaign from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. We've also secured $50,000 from Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital and $5,000 from Republic Bank. And then the village is pledging up to $50,000 in our current fiscal year budget,” the staff member said. The speaker added the village is pursuing additional partners and offered tiered sponsorship options for local businesses.

The presentation positioned the court as a way to promote health and increase physical activity, citing World Health Organization figures on obesity and the health-care costs of obesity. The speaker framed the court as accessible to a wide range of users: “it is a free way to promote fitness and increase physical activity. It has body weight exercise, which delivers measurable results both physical and mental wellness. And you can work as hard or as light as you wish, and it's accessible to everyone.”

Staff also reviewed recent park investments as context for the proposal, saying the village rebuilt the Village Green playground with village funds and a state grant and spent $250,000 on tennis and pickleball courts. The speaker described how the fitness court could be used alongside those amenities so parents can exercise while supervising children and so the village can host fitness events such as a Murph Challenge on Memorial Day or Relay for Life activities.

The village said it will host standalone events, integrate the court into existing programming and offer permanent advertising on fitness-court signage for sponsors. “We'll email you a copy of this presentation and the slide deck with contact information,” the staff member said, inviting businesses to reserve sponsorships.

No formal council motion or vote on the project was recorded during the presentation. The staff member described the village’s pledge of up to $50,000 from the current fiscal-year budget but did not present a formal ordinance, resolution or budget amendment for immediate action at the meeting. Additional funding and formal approvals were described as outstanding requirements before construction could proceed.