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Tygerberg campus launches brand new outdoor gym
Author: FMHS Marketing & Communications / FGGW Bemarking & Kommunikasie – Florence de Vries
Published: 28/04/2021

Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) has launched a brand new outdoor gym on its Tygerberg Campus for staff and students to enjoy.

The initiative, which was led by the FMHS' Dean's Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability (DACES), is a visible commitment to augmenting the well-being of the faculty's staff and students. It is also aimed at increasing the appreciation of, and the engagement with, the natural environment and biodiversity on campus.

The opening of the outdoor gym forms part of the FMHS' Earth Day celebrations (22 April 2021), in which many students based at Tygerberg Campus participated. Professor Bob Mash, the chairperson of the DACES, said the outdoor gym was meant to contribute to the wellbeing of FMHS staff and students who live and work at Tygerberg Campus by improving their quality of life.

 “With increasing urbanisation and a growing realisation of the importance of both the physical and mental well-being of staff and students – especially in our current climate - outdoor exercise equipment is an ideal option," said Mash.

Hugh Seton, a 4th-year MBChB student and Tygerberg Student Representatives (TSR) Sports Portfolio chairperson said the installation of the outdoor gym is invaluable to students at Tygerberg Campus who were looking for affordable options to get some exercise. “Just this past year, we set out to find ways of getting out of our residence rooms and getting some fresh air while exercising. This outdoor gym is such a huge step in the right direction."

Mash added that physical activity can prevent and help manage a number of chronic conditions, and also help to improve mental health. “Both the students and staff on our campus can only benefit from these pieces of gym equipment, as outdoor exercise benefits the whole body through improved fitness, well-being and a lifted mood."

The planning and implementation of nine pieces of open-air gym equipment was undertaken by Mash and Mrs Christine Groenewald, who, together with the DACES, sourced funding for this equipment from various entities at the FMHS over the past two years. The opening of the outdoor gym is a significant achievement for the committee, which is responsible for a number of environmentally sustainable initiatives at Tygerberg Campus. This includes a focus on environmentally friendly usage of water and energy.

One of the FMHS's overarching strategic objectives is the fostering of a people-centred faculty culture, where each person affiliated with the faculty can enjoy the benefits that living and working on the campus offer. During the last few years, staff and students at Tygerberg Campus have enjoyed the benefits of an outdoor swimming pool, tennis and netball courts, a rugby field, and more recently, the establishment of the Eco Route. This route runs round the perimeter of the campus, and is adorned with indigenous plants.

The gym equipment, which includes uneven pull-up bars, press and dip bars, an upright cycle and a step and calf raise, is located on the Tygerberg Campus sports field opposite the new Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI).

The various sponsors of the pieces of gym equipment are the following:

  • Uneven pull-up bars (The Immunology Research Group of the Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics)
  • Press and Dip bars (The Institute for Life Course Health Research)
  • Upright Cycle (The Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care)
  • Double Air Walker (The Department of Paediatrics and Child Health)
  • Step and Calf Raise (The Department of Nursing and Midwifery and the Centre for Health Professions Education)
  • Back and Leg stretch (The Department of Psychiatry)
  • Chin-up Ladder (Prof Marietjie de Villiers, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care)
  • Multi-function station (The Dean's Management Team)
  • Multi-function station (The Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care)
  • Outdoor gym signage (Tygerberg Student Representatives 2020/2021)


Photo credit: Nardus Engelbrecht