Burien Parks installs new 'Pulse Tennis' feature at Lake Burien School Park

Burien Parks has installed a new, innovative exercise/play feature at Lake Burien School Memorial Park – Pulse Tennis – located at the corner of SW 149th Street and 16th Ave SW. Pulse Tennis is an interactive, multisensory game designed to encourage active play. Targeted for ages 5-12 and allowing 2-8 participants, players take turns chasing and tapping lights as they “bounce” from one post to another. The LED light and sound patterns challenge hand-eye coordination, develop action and reaction skills, build muscle, and burn calories. This Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PaRCS) installation came out of a joint initiative involving several south county cities, King County Public Health, King County Parks, local hospitals, schools, businesses, and others organizations whose mission includes educating children and families about active living and promoting healthy activities and wellness. “We all own part of the responsibility to bring more opportunities for our youth, adults and seniors to be more active in our parks and to help people in our communities make healthy choices,” says Michael Lafreniere, City of Burien PaRCS Director. “By joining forces and pooling resources, we’re tackling this issue in a collaborative way.” “Kids might think of playground equipment as something that’s just for fun, but we know the exercise and other benefits that youth get while at a playground are essential to their development, and we are proud of our partnership role in this initiative,” says Kevin Brown, King County Parks Director. King County Parks and seven other south King County cities teamed up with Burien PaRCS last year to add outdoor fitness equipment for youth, teens, and their families to encourage healthy living and exercise as a way to combat childhood obesity. Working together, the various jurisdictions secured a $100,000 King County Youth Sports Facilities Grant which provided funding for outdoor fitness activity equipment at the several parks throughout south King County:

• Lake Burien School Memorial Park (1620 SW 149th St, Burien) – Pulse Tennis Equipment
• Les Gove Park (910 9th Street SE, Auburn) – Pulse Tennis Equipment
• Steven J. Underwood Park (21800 20th Ave. S., Des Moines) – 2 Cardio Steppers; Ab Crunch/Leg Lift
• West Fenwick Park (3808 Reith Road, Kent) – Chest/Back Press, Pull UP/Dip, Ab Crunch, Balance Steps, and Assisted Row Piece
• Liberty Park (1101 Bronson Way N., Renton) – 3 Cardio Steppers
• Valley Ridge Park (4644 S. 188th, SeaTac) – Pulse Tempo
• Foster Memorial Park (13919 53rd Avenue South, Tukwila) – Cardio Stepper, Chest/Back Press, Plyometrics, Pull up/dip

According to Seattle-King County Public Health, youth obesity has many serious consequences and can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and breathing and joint problems. Obesity in childhood is likely to continue into adulthood and increases the risk for serious health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. In addition, overweight children are more likely to be severely obese as adults. South King County has a higher rate of youth obesity than the rest of the County, with 25% percent of youth being overweight or obese. Watch how Pulse Tennis works: [youtube]https://youtu.be/b-OO3MFyDYY[/youtube]]]>