ALEXANDRA Gardens is expected to be a hub of activity during the summer months with residents pounding the pavement of the recently completed walking path.
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The facelift has seen pathways and entrances to the gardens widened, existing trails linked and infrastructure such as boardwalks, exercise stations and signage installed.
The project was made possible with a $200,000 contribution from the State Government's Putting Locals First component of its flagship $1 billion Regional Growth Fund, along with $100,000 from the Ararat Rural City Council.
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan and Minister for Sport and Recreation Damian Drum officially opened the 500-metre sealed walking path around the lake at Alexandra Gardens during a visit to the region earlier this month.
Strengthening the municipality's title as Ararat Active City the Lions Club of Ararat has chipped in $20,000 for two exercise stations at either end of the park.
Each station includes three pieces of exercise equipment to target various muscle groups.
Ararat Lions Club member Mick Thornbury said the local group aims to serve the community and that it was pleasing to see the new facilities installed and ready for use.
"We started talking about this in 2008, so it has taken six years to actually physically get it up and running," he said.
"Initially we were looking at single units, which Norm (Tosch) and his wife Val had seen on a trip to Glenelg in South Australia, but over that six years the price kept going up so the $20,000 that we put up was enough to purchase the two group units with the installation funded by Council.
"It is just something that Norm brought to a meeting one day and we supported it because it was for the community and it is something that can be used by everybody, but particularly the youth.
"Now linking it up with these walking paths makes it the perfect exercise stop at the end of your run or walk, so it has all worked out really well."