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Six new Fitness Courts opened across New York this year. The one at Port Jervis High School came together through a combination that is increasingly common in the state: a school district with a clear goal, a state legislator willing to fight for the funding, and a health plan that saw value in the investment.
Port Jervis City School District wanted to give its students and the surrounding community access to free outdoor fitness. That part was straightforward. What it needed was a path to pay for it.
Senator James Skoufis provided one. He secured $500,000 in state funding covering new Fitness Courts in both Port Jervis and Middletown, with MVP Health Care coming in as a sponsor across both sites. The result at Port Jervis High School is a seven-station Fitness Court with a custom art panel on the back, free to students, staff, and anyone 14+ in the community who wants to use it.
"Having free, public, outdoor spaces for people to get moving is essential for the health and safety of our community," Senator Skoufis said. "They're a fun and simple way to enjoy the area, while also staying active."
Superintendent Dr. John Bell described what the project means for the district and the city around it: "We are thrilled to add another outdoor physical activity area for our students, staff and community to use. In Port Jervis, our community and schools are united in doing positive things for the greater good. We'd also like to thank Senator Skoufis and his staff for helping make this project possible."
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The Fitness Court is designed around body-weight exercise — no equipment to maintain, no membership to buy. Students can use it during the school day; anyone else can use it whenever they like. A free companion app offers guided workouts across fitness levels for people who want more structure than an open field provides.
The same funding, a second city
The Skoufis allocation covered both Port Jervis and Middletown. At Maple Hill Park, the city installed a Fitness Court Studio — the same seven-station platform, with an adjacent outdoor studio space for yoga, Zumba, or other group fitness programming. It is the first Fitness Court Studio in the region.
Mayor Joseph DeStefano framed it as a straightforward investment:
"Investing in our parks and recreational facilities is an investment in the health and quality of life of our residents. Projects like this demonstrate what can be accomplished when we work together to invest in our neighborhoods and provide opportunities that benefit our entire community."
School districts are driving a lot of this growth
School anchored Fitness Courts carry a built-in community benefit: a campus that is already central to a neighborhood's daily life. The decision to keep the Fitness Court open after hours extends that relationship past the school day. A lot of the districts joining the New York network this year made that commitment explicitly.
Putnam Valley Central School District opened a Fitness Court at Putnam Valley High School in October 2026. Tigers mascot art on the back of the Fitness Court roots the installation in the school's identity. Superintendent Dr. Grace Chan said the district saw the project as a way to provide health and wellness access to the entire community, not just enrolled students, and prioritized keeping it free and publicly available from the start.
Who showed up
The grand opening at Port Jervis High School drew a room that reflected how broadly this project was supported. Senator James Skoufis and NYS Assemblyman Karl Brabenec attended alongside Port Jervis Mayor Dominic Cicalese. The school board was represented by BOE President Bill Harris and board members Cathy Sadaghiani and Michael Witt. Superintendent Dr. John Bell was there alongside students Gavin Gass, Landon Snyder, Griffin Raap, Makhi Johnson, Xavier Cauthen, and Elias McGovern, who were among the first to use the Fitness Court.
That combination of local government, school leadership, state-level elected officials, and actual students at the same ribbon cutting is worth noting. Projects that draw that kind of participation tend to get used.
Other New York launches this year
Middletown — Maple Hill Park
A Fitness Court Studio in one of Middletown's central parks, made possible by Senator Skoufis's state funding and MVP Health Care. Mayor DeStefano described the installation as an investment in the health and quality of life of Middletown residents — and a model for what public-private partnership can accomplish.
Putnam Valley Central School District — Putnam Valley High School
A school-based Fitness Court featuring the Tigers mascot art on the back panel, open to students and the surrounding community. Superintendent Dr. Grace Chan emphasized the district's commitment to providing free health and wellness access to everyone — not just students.
Village of Rye Brook — 840 King Street
Sponsored by Sunrise Senior Living as part of its investment in the Rye Brook community ahead of a new independent living development it is building just across the street. The Studio adds a dedicated stretch and fitness class space alongside the seven-station Fitness Court. Mayor Jason Klein called it a natural extension of the village's Fitness Initiative Together (F.I.T.) program, built to serve residents of all ages and fitness abilities.
City of Rochester — Genesee Valley Park
Rochester's second Fitness Court, installed seven years after the city opened its first at Cobbs Hill Park in 2019. Funded through the city's capital improvement plan and located along the Empire State Trail, the new Fitness Court extends free outdoor fitness access to a different part of the city. Commissioner of Recreation Dr. Shirley Green called outdoor activity "key for strong physical, mental and emotional health" at the October 15 ribbon cutting.
Dutchess Community College
The Fitness Court at Dutchess Community College is open and available to students and the surrounding Poughkeepsie-area community. The college has a full activation plan in the works for 2027, with programming and community outreach that will put the Fitness Court to work well beyond its equipment.
Along with Port Jervis, Putnam Valley, Middletown, Rye Brook, Rochester, and Dutchess Community College, the 2026 class spans school campuses, municipal parks, a college campus, and a senior living-adjacent community space. The range matters less as a talking point than as a practical signal: the infrastructure works across different kinds of partners and different kinds of communities.
