The fitness equipment is broken—can anyone go take care of it?

　　Right next to where we live, outdoor fitness equipment—often installed in parks, plazas, and residential communities—provides convenient opportunities for residents who enjoy physical activity and has been warmly embraced by the public. However, due to natural wear and tear as well as deliberate vandalism, much of this equipment is now severely damaged, and it remains difficult to secure timely repairs from the relevant authorities. Many people suggest that, while continuing to take good care of the equipment, we should also appoint a dedicated “caretaker” responsible for its maintenance and upkeep.

　　Many pieces of fitness equipment are broken.

　　If you take a closer look at fitness areas in parks, residential communities, and other public spaces, you’ll find that many of them have some degree of damage to their exercise equipment. Some of these pieces, missing limbs or severely broken, look like piles of scrap metal left to gather dust. Not only do these damaged facilities fail to serve their intended purpose, but they also pose hidden safety risks, making prompt repairs all the more urgent. Yet, many residents who enjoy staying active often wonder: who is responsible for maintaining this equipment, and which department should they contact to report the issue?

　　Despite some fitness equipment being severely damaged, many elderly people and children are still enjoying themselves. According to the “General Safety Requirements for Outdoor Fitness Equipment,” the service life of outdoor fitness equipment should not exceed six years. However, it has been observed that some equipment has already exceeded its intended lifespan.

　　I wonder who will maintain the fitness equipment.

　　Regarding the issue of damaged outdoor fitness equipment in the community, some community staff have reported that the community lacks a dedicated budget for maintenance, and even when funds are available, spare parts for the equipment are often unavailable. As a result, repairs typically require reporting to the relevant authorities. Moreover, in many cases, it remains unclear who is ultimately responsible for maintaining this equipment.

　　According to reports, outdoor fitness equipment in residential communities and parks is typically installed using funds from the national fitness special allocation of the sports lottery public welfare fund, as well as through self‑funded projects by municipal and district sports authorities, or through investments made by large enterprises and community residents themselves. Because the sources of this equipment vary, so too do the entities that receive it. In line with the principle of “whoever benefits is responsible for management and maintenance,” the units that accept the equipment should be tasked with its upkeep. However, in many cases, recipient organizations lack dedicated budgets for repairs, face budgetary constraints, prioritize the issue less, or encounter difficulties in sourcing spare parts, leading to inadequate management and maintenance. Meanwhile, deliberate vandalism by some members of the public further exacerbates damage to outdoor fitness equipment.

　　Fitness equipment needs a “butler”

　　To strengthen the management and maintenance of outdoor fitness equipment, relevant authorities in many regions have progressively stepped up oversight of public sports facilities, leading to significant improvements in the condition of such installations. Nevertheless, damage to fitness equipment continues to occur.

　　Regarding the routine “health checks” of outdoor fitness equipment and who is responsible for repairing it when it breaks down—along with who bears the associated costs—and who should oversee its removal once it reaches the end of its service life, as well as how new equipment should be re‑installed after the old is taken away: on the one hand, relevant authorities should increase investment in fitness equipment while establishing a dedicated maintenance fund; on the other hand, recipient organizations should assume responsibility for managing and maintaining the equipment upon receipt. At the same time, we urge all citizens to take good care of outdoor fitness facilities and to respect urban public amenities.