At the nonprofit Emmaüs Solidarité homeless shelter in Paris, it’s not uncommon for new residents to have sleepless nights. But since the summer, residents have had a new way to cope with the stress of a restless evening: head to the courtyard and do a few circuits on their new outdoor gym. 

Through a partnership between the city, the nonprofit, and Omnigym, a Finnish fitness company, this new installation of outdoor exercise equipment seeks to not just help provide access to fitness gear, but build community and self-esteem. Consisting of four pieces of workout gear set up in the garden next to the shelter, this small public gym provides a fitness option for all, but is specifically located to assist those who don’t have the money or wouldn’t feel welcome in a private gym. It also addresses broader issues of physical inactivity and social isolation. 

“It’s a natural gathering place, and people from different socioeconomic backgrounds start to meet because they exercise,” says Omnigym’s CEO, Kirsti Laasio. “It’s a very egalitarian sort of situation.” 

The company, which has more than 800 locations across 18 countries, believes there’s both a business case and social value in building new gyms and workout spaces for disadvantaged communities. Laasio says that outdoor gyms can become part of city planning, since they can serve as modes of social contact that also help activate the streetscape and encourage preventive healthcare.  

The company’s People’s Gym initiative has been installing equipment for free at spaces such as prisons to demonstrate the impact this equipment can have on communities.

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