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MOVEMENT RIBBON THROUGHOUT PUBLIC SPACE INNOVATIVE SPORT PROJECT IN LEUVEN (BELGIUM), EUROPEAN CITY OF SPORT 2021 Author & Photos
IPitup, BE – 3118 Werchter, www.ipitup.be, “EU Good Practice 2021“
“Leuven is a city where sports and innovation go hand in hand” says Mayor Mohamed Ridouani. “We are always looking for new initiatives to stimulate our residents to get more active. We do so, among other things, by creating an activity-friendly environment. One of our latest developments is the ‚movement ribbon’. This ribbon is a sequence of IPitup activity benches throughout our public space.”
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Quick, simple, targeted, challenging An activity bench is more than just an ordinary bench. It is equipped with multiple exercise stations that can be used simultaneously. You can perform more than 250 exercises on it. Young and old, anyone can use it for a complete work-out that will give you a stronger and better balanced body, regardless of your exercise level.
Everybody moves City Director of Sports Cindy Winters says: “At the moment you can find 16 activity benches throughout Leuven. Via a participation platform the residents got the opportunity to determine the locations of the most recently installed benches themselves. That was a big success. No fewer than 87 different spots were proposed.”
Personalized activity program You can perform the low-threshold exercises on the info panel or use the free activity app. The app acts as a virtual coach and motivator. It offers an individual exercise programme. Those who prefer to train with a real IPitupcoach can participate in initiations, boot camps or training sessions organized by the sports department. Of course sports teachers, personal trainers, club coaches and committed local residents can also organize activities around the a ctivity benches.
The ribbon has actually been in use since November 2020. You can walk, run or cycle from one activity bench to another, an ideal way to (re)discover your surroundings. Mayor Ridouani: “One thing is for sure: thanks to these new exercise and meeting places, our city becomes even more attractive to get active. Everybody moves, that’s what we’re going for! IPitup is a fast growing non-profit. As an exhibitor at the FSB trade fair (Cologne – 26 to 29 Octobre 2021), IPitup is aiming to find suitable international partners. sb 4/2021
