Trying To Keep Fit Is An Exercise In Frustration
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday August 17, 2006
One reason our cities are killing us (Sick cities, August 12-16) is that buildings and suburbs are built mainly to maximise profits for the developer, and little consideration is given to what people might like to do in them.
Many of my colleagues say they would like to walk or cycle to work, or exercise in their lunch break. But where we work, in a prime city property comprising two towers of more than 25 floors each, the only showers are in the murky depths of the underground car park - two for men and two for women in a complex that can house about 5000 people. Exercise at work is out. The only alternative is to find a gym nearby, if you can afford it. In the African cities where I grew up, practically every suburb had its own sports club, run as a nonprofit organisation. There, for very reasonable fees, you could play a range of sports and socialise in a decent clubhouse afterwards. In Australia, if I want to play tennis for four hours it will probably cost me $80 to hire the court. If I play twice a week it will cost me more than $8000 a year. The main social centres in the suburbs, it seems, are RSL and league clubs where the main activity, when you are not stuffing your face with food and drink, is to sit on a stool and stuff coins into a pokie machine. The facilities for amateur sports people are wretched - municipal ovals that are rarely used, an uninviting shed that is locked most of the time and toilets that are dark and smelly and full of cobwebs and mosquitoes. No wonder most people give up team sports after they leave school. Our rates and taxes deserve better than this. Every council should upgrade its main ovals to provide decent, modern facilities that encourage constant use. Every office tower of more than 10 storeys should have at least one floor for exercise facilities - squash courts, a gym, indoor pool, whatever - available free for all occupants. Bernard O'Shea Dulwich Hill
© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald