Query on fitness funding

FREE zumba and tai chi classes are likely to remain in Cairns at least for another year, despite a councillor raising concerns about funding.

Cairns Regional Council, at its ordinary meeting on Wednesday, passed a motion to fund the Active Living Suburbs program for the rest of the financial year before the new council elected next month will consider funding for the program in the 2020/21 budget.

The popular program, which has funding support from the North Queensland Sports Foundation and the North Queensland Primary Health Network, gives residents the chance to get out, be active and improve their health close to home.

It involves free fitness activities, including aquarobics, tai chi and zumba at the Cairns

Esplanade, Edmonton, Trinity Beach, Yorkeys Knob and Mooroobool.

Council figures show there have been 6836 participants recorded since the program began on April 22 last year.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Division 2 Councillor John Schilling questioned why the council should keep funding the fitness program.

“If we’re going to take over this sort of stuff, where are we going to stop?” he said.

“How much money do we want to put into this?

“Where do we want to grow this to? And do we want to keep doing it, or does the State (Government) want to step up and start giving their share? This is for the health of the state.”

Council officers will write to the Federal Government to request it continues to partner with the council to fund the program during the next financial year.