State-of-the-Art Outdoor Fitness Court® Coming to John Ward Memorial Park
(AMARILLO, TEXAS - August 11, 2026) — The City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, and National Fitness Campaign (NFC) today announced a partnership to bring an outdoor Fitness Court® and digital wellness programming to Amarillo, Texas. The Fitness Court®, located at John Ward Memorial Park will open August 20th at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
This Fitness Court® was developed by The City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation, BCBSTX, and NFC to expand free access to high-quality workouts and create equitable access to exercise for communities across the region. The Fitness Court® is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets users leverage their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations.
Created for adults of all abilities aged 14+, the Fitness Court® workouts are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. Users also may download the free Fitness Court® App which acts as a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness experience. The City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation is one of 50+ Campaign Partners building a network of Fitness Courts across the state, with the help of BCBSTX.
"Finding new ways to enhance our parks and create meaningful experiences for residents is always a priority," said Michael Kashuba, Amarillo Parks and Recreation Director. "Partnerships like this allow us to bring innovative amenities to Amarillo that improve quality of life and make healthy, active living more accessible for everyone. We're grateful to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and National Fitness Campaign for helping make this Fitness Court possible, giving our community a free, year-round resource for adults of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy.”
“Physical activity is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to improve overall health,” said Dr. Mark Chassay, chief medical officer at BCBSTX. “By investing in Fitness Courts across Texas, we’re creating more opportunities for people to move, connect, and build healthier, more equitable communities for the future.”
“We are excited to have John Ward Memorial Park join us in the journey to improve health and wellness as we work to make a powerful and long lasting impact on health outcomes and happiness by building healthy communities across America,’’ said Mitch Menaged, founder of National Fitness Campaign. “The addition of the outdoor Fitness Court, along with digital wellness programming, demonstrates a tremendous commitment to the health and wellbeing within the Amarillo community.”
Residents are invited to attend the launch event on August 20th at 10:00 a.m. to try the Fitness Court®. For more information, contact Dave Henry at 506-378-5219. For more information on Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas’s support of NFC, please visit https://www.nationalfitnesscampaign.com/texas.
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About the City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation
The City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department is committed to building a stronger community through parks, programs, and public spaces that encourage health and wellness, create positive economic benefits, and enhance the community's ecological system. The department manages more than 50 parks, over 2,000 acres of green space, athletic facilities, playgrounds, aquatic amenities, and a variety of recreational programs and special events for residents of all ages. By investing in innovative amenities and meaningful partnerships, Parks and Recreation creates welcoming spaces where people can play, explore, connect, and enjoy the outdoors.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Celebrating 95 years of helping improve the health of Texans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with more than 168,000 physicians and health care practitioners, and 550 hospitals to serve eight million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
About National Fitness Campaign
Founded in San Francisco in 1979, National Fitness Campaign (NFC) is a wellness consulting firm that provides programs and services to cities, schools and sponsors. Our mission is to build healthy communities nationwide. The campaign delivers an integrated wellness initiative, centered around the Fitness Court®– the world's best outdoor gym. National Fitness Campaign is preparing to welcome its 750th healthy community in 2026, as it continues to grow the country’s largest public-private partnership in support of wellness with the goal of building a Fitness Court® within a 10-minute bike ride of every American. Learn more about National Fitness Campaign at nationalfitnesscampaign.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
