Walking is a good way to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors at the same time. However, some exercise enthusiasts are usually forced into a gym to use certain equipment to work individual muscles.

Thanks to grants from Blue Cross Blue Shield and Go Greenfields, along with help from the City of Oxford, eight pieces of outdoor fitness equipment are being installed on the east side of the John Leslie Tennis Facility at the Oxford Activity Center for residents to use free of charge.

The resistance and strength training equipment is durable enough to withstand the hot summer sun and cold winter weather.

The city received $25,000 from the 2015 Healthy Hometown Blue Cross Blue Shield grant that was used to purchase the equipment. Go Greenfields, the manufacturer of the equipment, also awarded the city a $12,500 grant toward the purchase of the equipment. The Oxford Board of Aldermen contributed $30,000 for site preparation and installation.

The equipment right now looks more like something from a sci-fi movie as it is still wrapped in foam to protect it until it’s ready for the public.

It will include a pendulum swing, cross-country ski machine, back and arms combo machine, handicap accessible vertical press, a chest press, lat pull, static combo and a leg press.

Mark Levy with the city of Oxford said the contractor is currently installing handrails to meet the city’s ADA requirements, which will take a couple more days to complete.

“The official opening will be sometime next week,” Levy said Wednesday.

Oxford Human Resource Manager Braxton Tullos said additional equipment will also be constructed on various parts of the Molly Barr Trails.

“With the shifting of Price Street, upcoming improvements to the Activity Center, and the sites proximity to the trail, we are confident this equipment will get a lot of use,” Tullos said. “We are very thankful to Blue Cross Blue Shield and Go Greenfields to awarding the funds to complete this project.”