It's the same every year. You wake up in a blurry haze on Jan. 1, trying to forget the number of cocktails and fattening appetizers you downed the night before. While you always have good intentions of getting back on the post-holidays fitness bandwagon, you don't have a gym membership, it's sub-zero outside, and well, enough of the excuses, already!
The Chicago Park District is helping us all out by offering free admission to its 60 workout facilities from Jan. 2-16. That should give you plenty of time to get your act together. There's an added bonus, too. If you extend your complimentary two-week period into a January-March 2009 winter-session membership, you'll get a free Nike workout bag. Memberships to the Park District gyms range in price from $40-$75 for three months; not a bad deal when compared to the fees for a lot of commercial gyms.
The fitness centers include computerized treadmills, cross trainers, upright and recumbent bicycles, free weights and benches, cable cross-overs, multi-station weight machines and core-focused weight equipment. The facilities also offer a variety of fitness classes such as circuit training, conditioning, kickboxing, Pilates, yoga and aerobics. Some of the facilities have pools, as well.
Participating fitness centers and addresses:
1. Altgeld Park, 515 S. Washtenaw Ave., 312.746.5001
2. Amundsen Park, 6200 W. Bloomingdale Ave., 312.746.5003
3. Archer Park, 4901 S. Kilbourn Ave., 773.284.7029
4. Armour Square Park, 3309 S. Shields Ave., 312.747.6012
5. Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St., 773.287.7658
6. Avalon Park, 1215 E. 83rd St., 312.747.2545
7. Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway St., 312.742.7502
8. Calumet Park, 9801 S. Ave. G, 312.747.6039
9. Carver Park, 939 E. 132nd St., 312.747.6047
10. Clarendon Park Community Center, 4501 N. Clarendon Ave., 312.742.7512
11. Columbus Park, 500 S. Central Ave., 773.287.7641
12. Daley Bicentennial Plaza, 337 E. Randolph St., 312.742.7648
13. Davis Square Park, 4430 S. Marshfield Ave., 312.747.6107
14. Don Nash Community Center, 1833 E. 71st St., 773.256.0904
15. Eckhart Park, 1330 W. Chicago Ave., 312.746.5490
16. Fernwood Park, 10436 S. Wallace St., 312.747.6132
17. Fosco Park, 1312 S. Racine Ave., 312.746.5086
18. Foster Park, 1440 W. 84th St., 312.747.6135
19. Fuller Park, 331 W. 45th, 312.747.6144
20. Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave., 312.746.5092
21. Gage Park, 2411 W. 55th St., 312.747.6147
22. Gale School Park, 7631 N. Ashland Ave., 773.262.5051
23. Gill Park, 825 W. Sheridan, 312.742.7802
24. Grand Crossing Park, 7655 S. Ingleside Ave., 312.747.6158
25. Harris Recreational Center, 6200 S. Drexel Boulevard, 312.747.2706
26. Harrison Park, 1824 W. Wood, 312.746.5491
27. Hayes Park, 2936 W. 85th St., 312.747.6177
28. Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve Drive, 312.746.5559
29. Homan Square Park, 3559 W. Arlington St., 312.746.6650
30. Humboldt Park, 1440 N. Sacramento Ave., 312.742.7549
31. Independence Park, 3945 N. Springfield Ave., 773.478.3538
32. Jackson Park, 6401 S. Stony Island Ave., 773.256.0903
33. Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave., 312.742.7547
34. Kennicott Park, 4434 S. Lake Park Ave., 312.747.7138
35. LaFollette Park, 1333 N. Laramie Ave., 773.287.0541
36. Lake Shore Park, 808 N. Lake Shore Drive, 312.742.7891
37. Lindblom Park, 6054 S. Damen Ave., 312.747.6443
38. Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Drive, 312.742.7522
39. McFetridge Sports Center, 3843 N. California Ave., 773.478.2609
40. McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar Ave., 312.747.6497
41. Mozart Park, 2036 N. Avers St., 312.742.7535
42. Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave., 773.631.4893
43. Ogden Park, 6500 S. Racine Ave., 312.747.6572
44. Palmer Park, 201 E. 111th St., 312.747.6576
45. Peterson Park, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd., 312.742.7584
46. Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31st St., 312.747.6608
47. Pottawattomie Park, 7340 N. Rogers Ave., 773.262.5835
48. Rainbow Beach & Park, 3111 E. 77th St., 773.745.1479
49. Ridge Park, 9625 S. Longwood Drive, 312.747.6639
50. Russell Square Park, 3045 E. 83rd St., 312.747.6651
51. Rutherford Sayre Park, 6871 W. Belden Ave., 312.746.5368
52. Scottsdale Park, 4637 W. 83rd St., 773.284.1826
53. Sherman Park, 1301 W. 52nd St., 312.747.6672
54. Sherwood Park, 5701 S. Sheilds Ave., 773.256.0926
55. Taylor Park in Bronzeville, 39 W. 47th St., 312.747.6728
56. Trumbull Park, 2400 E. 105th St., 312.747.6759
57. Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St., 312.746.5494
58. Washington Park, 5531 S. Martin Luther King Drive, 773.256.1248
59. Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave., 312.742.7511
60. West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St., 773.284.2803
For more information, visit the park district's official Web site or call 312.742.PLAY, 312.747.2001 (TTY).
