Healthy Hobart Program …

… To encourage health and well-being in the community

HOBART City Council Alderman Marti Zucco is determined to help Hobart ‘get healthy’ and will be taking a proposal to Council that will see residents offered a free one-day gym membership at city-based gyms.

The Healthy Hobart project follows discussions Ald Zucco has had with local gym owners, Guy Franklin (Genesis), and Rick Cazaly (Cazaly Sports) who have agreed to participate in the Healthy Hobart concept that provides all Hobart ratepayers and residents with a one-day evaluation (where available) and gym membership to these and other Hobart-based fitness centers willing to participate.

“At a personal level, I recently decided it was time to get serious about my own fitness and it was during one of my gym sessions that I started thinking about how we could entice Hobart ratepayers to the gym.

“The program is for Hobart City Council ratepayers and residents to receive a voucher in their rates notice that provides the opportunity for the resident to use a one-day gym membership at any of the participating Hobart-based gyms within a three-month period. Residents who do not receive a rates notice would be able to collect a voucher on verification of where they live,” Ald Zucco said.

This will provide residents with an opportunity to sample a gym or other facility and decide which may suit their needs. At the same time it would go a long way to promoting Hobart as Healthy Australian City.

“Over the past few weeks I have been a regular at the Hobart Aquatic Centre and in that short time of returning to regular daily exercise, I have noticed how my energy levels have increased, my concentration has improved with the added bonus of losing a few kilos.

Alderman Zucco said he would take the proposal to Council and seek a report to consider a Healthy Hobart project partnering with Hobart-based fitness centers and other providers. It will be an ideal way for Hobart residents to sample what type of establishment suits their personal needs.

“With Council support this proposal could eventually make Hobart the Healthy Capital of Australia. The Healthy Hobart project may encourage other municipalities to take this concept on board so that we can collectively work towards Tasmania becoming “The Healthy State.”

Ald Zucco said the Healthy Hobart program would also assist small to medium businesses in the City of Hobart through a program developed by Rick Cazaly, (Up There Cazaly program) to help small/medium business develop a work-health coaching program for their staff.

“This is an opportunity for Council to reinforce the importance of how a healthy lifestyle improves the well-being of its residents,” Ald Zucco said.

Guy Franklin from Genesis said that ‘When undertaking a health & fitness routine, the hardest thing for most people is taking that first step. This initiative addresses that issue”

He also said that “As fitness professionals, we know everybody has a different starting point. This will be the ideal opportunity for people to give it a bit of a go and see firsthand just how easy it is to start regardless of what their current level of fitness is.”

Guy further added that “The key to successfully achieving and maintaining your healthy fitness goals is creating a routine which becomes a habit. If this habit can fit into your lifestyle it will be sustainable. It’s all about prioritising. We all have 168 hours in our week. If you can just find 3 to exercise, it will change your life for the better, guaranteed.”

Rick Cazaly said that “The Healthy Hobart project would assist small to medium businesses in the city of Hobart by coaching their staff (and their families) toward healthier lifestyles through understanding on how to best use the facilities and environs of this great city.

Rick also said that “This is an opportunity for the Hobart City Council to take a lead role of how a healthy lifestyle improves the wellbeing of its residents as well as the survivability of its important small to medium sized businesses,”

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HOBART City Council Alderman Marti Zucco