Spa and Salon Manager Karen Watson will round out her department’s services in the next couple of weeks; the Turning Stone Resort and Casino is putting the finishing touches on a 5,600-foot fitness trail expected to be completed within the coming month.

It’s been a couple of years in the making, Watson said. When we looked at the range of services we offer, we really felt what was missing was a fitness component. The trail is going to offer not only an opportunity for walking and running, but also the ability to conduct fitness programs.

The trail, Watson says, is just over a mile long. It starts at the Lodge and encircles the casino property, hotel, back of the events center, forming a loop. According to Watson, it is appropriate for individuals at all levels of fitness and ability.

It’s good for beginners, though there are some hills, Watson said, and there will be exercise stations along the way that will allow us to do exercises such as dips, crunches, stretches and balancing activities for a more advanced level of activity.

Right now, six stations are planned: leg lift, beam jump, sit up, push up, horizontal loop ladder and monkey bars.

Special walking surface

People accustomed to walking on concrete or asphalt may immediately notice a unique difference in the trail surface. Nation management chose a shock-absorbent material called Flexi-Pave to construct the walkway. According to a CNN report the first week of July, the product, and others like it, are being tested in cities such as Boston and Washington, D.C., where they have been found to be easier on people’s legs and joints.

We were specifically looking for a non-slippery surface that is easy on the body, gentle on the knees and back and great for walking or running.

Those criteria dovetailed nicely with a product, Flexi-Pave, found by Oneida Indian Nation Director of Construction Mark Nish at a stormwater pollution prevention conference in Rochester. He said the material satisfied some other requirements, as well.

We were looking for a product that is more environmentally friendly and less expensive for maintenance and repairs than asphalt and concrete, Nish said.

Nish said one of the top selling points for him was the fact that the material is impervious to freeze and thaw conditions. He said it also may be less expensive in the long run.

[Severe weather fluctuations] will not crack the material because the rubber itself is one large expansion and contraction joint, Nish said. Flexi-Pave installed in two-inch thickness is comparable to decorative concrete in cost. To cover an existing cracked or damaged surface in one-inch thickness, it is less expensive than replacing with new asphalt.

According to Nish, Flexi-Pave can be installed in 90-degree or 20-degree temperatures and can be installed over existing surfaces, eliminating demolition costs in some cases.

Making existing surfaces more durable gives us an immediate cost savings, Nish said. Flexi-Pave’s flexibility gives resistance to subsurface movement from erosion or tree root uplift that would [in concrete or asphalt installations] lead to costly repairs. Environmentally, Flexi-Pave’s porous material provides effective drainage, reduces the need for stormwater retention and reduces runoff and standing water, decreasing mosquito populations.

Watson said she is awaiting the arrival of several pieces of equipment due in the next three weeks. She said it will take a couple of days to install and landscape the equipment, and the trail will be complete.

As you walk the trail, the views are absolutely beautiful, Watson said. There is the golf course, the driving range and you can relax, enjoying the flowers and foliage.

Nish said walkers and joggers have given positive feedback that the surface has quality shock absorption, making it more orthopedic friendly.

With the variety of uses of Flexi-Pave, we may consider it for upcoming projects, Nish said.

Though the fitness trail will be used by the spa and salon staff to conduct structured activities, Watson said that does not preclude the use of the trail by those wishing to use the trail at their own pace. She said the trail’s use is not exclusive to guests or members.

It is open to everyone, Watson said.

For more information

On Flexi-Pave…

…call James Ross & Son Contractors, Inc., at 472-6902. Ross & Son an 80-year-old company specializing in surfacing, currently is the only certified Flexi-Pave dealer in six-county Central New York.

On the spa and salon at Turning Stone Resort and Casino

…or other hospitality services, call 361-7711 or (800) 771-7711.