In early 2018 the Village of Skokie, Illinois, installed an outdoor exercise station along the Skokie Valley Hiking and Biking Trail. The resistance training equipment is designed for an all-weather setting.

The first two years after the equipment was installed, I never saw one person using it. Every time I ran by the station, I shook my head in disbelief that the village spent about $50,000 on such a waste. It was another example of tax dollars spent on a feel-good project that had no real benefit to Skokie taxpayers.

That all changed in March this year, like so many other things. The pandemic hit, health clubs were closed, and I was left without a place to work out.

For my first experience at the exercise station, I tested every piece of equipment. I wanted to try everything before I figured out a new regular routine.

A few of the individual stations are standard, like the pull-up bar and dip rails. The others are a mixed bag. Because there are few possible adjustments, some of the other equipment is uncomfortable but workable enough.

Every time I work out there, I laugh to myself at my previous disdain for it. I’m still the only person I have ever seen working out there, though. Overall, this exercise station would not be my first choice, but it will suffice until the new health club is built.

— John Wroblewski, online writer