Extracted in part from the June 18, 2009 Article, “Active in the Park”

Also making the rounds on the machines on opening day are a group of ladies in blue shirts.

The North Shore Dragon Busters, the 28-member Deep Cove-based dragon boat team, have come out to look at the equipment and how it can help them not just recover from battling breast cancer, but also get fit for racing season.

“One of our mandates is to exercise twice a week above our two practices,” says team member Janet Warren.

Two of the strength machines stand out for the team members and they crowd around it. There’s the rowing machine for their shoulders and arms, and then a squat press for their legs.

“They look fabulous:” Warren says. “It (the park) has all the components we would use as a team to build the right muscles… We’re thinking we may utilize the specialists and come out here as a group.” With their youngest member at 53 and oldest at 70, Warren adds they “fit right into the age category for the park.”

The women turn back to their tour, melding with the crowd of fifty-somethings to their nineties. The step and rowing machines are still popular, while a couple women are testing their mettle on the chin-up bars nearby.

Although some are slower than others, they all have one goal: to stay active amid the grass, trees and mountains surrounding the park.