Get ready to get moving in Northwest Ohio. The Toledo community will have a new opportunity to be active and have fun— thanks to Ohio’s non-alcoholic beverage industry.
In December, the Ohio Soft Drink Association presented Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson with a grant to fund the installation of an interactive and inclusive play system, which will debut this spring at Toledo’s revitalized downtown waterfront.
The state-of-the-art NEOS 360 play system will be installed at the Middlegrounds Metropark. It is being supported by a matching grant from the OSDA and the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America. S.T.R.I.V.E Toledo, Inc. also participated in the grant event, which was held at City Hall.
“The opportunity made possible by the OSDA to place an interactive and, importantly, accessible piece of equipment on city property adjacent to the Maumee River is yet another way of inviting the community to interact with our beautiful waterfront. We greatly appreciate this contribution,” said Mayor Hicks-Hudson.
Designed to be inclusive and encourage activity, the NEOS 360 utilizes technology to engage participants in outdoor games and physical exercise. It combines the speed and action of video games, with aerobic movement- running, jumping, stretching and kicking. And the ADA accessible NEOS 360 takes differently-abled people into consideration, as well. For those who are visually impaired, there is sound. For those in a wheelchair, the game is accessible at appropriate heights. It can bring everyone together for fun and fitness.
“OSDA member companies have a long history in Toledo as strong employers and community supporters, and we are proud to help bring Toledo’s riverfront to life and make it a place where families and friends can be active and healthy,” said Mike Collins, recently retired president of OSDA and former market director NW OH for Pepsi Beverages Co.
OSDA and the ABA also recently funded the installation of a NEOS 360 at the Columbus Commons in downtown Columbus. These grants are part of our industry’s longstanding commitment to being part of the solution to reducing obesity in America.
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Grant Presentation.
NEOS 360 image provided by Playworld Systems.