Novo mesto, 5. 11. 2021 - On Friday, 5 November, the mind of steel entered the capital of Dolenjska. Since then, the City Municipality of Novo mesto is host to the 17th location of the “steel project” network, which is being created by SIJ – Slovenian Steel Group and the Olympic Committee of Slovenia – Association of Sports Federations.
The project to build steel street workout parks started in 2014. That is when SIJ Group decided that they wanted to provide free outdoor recreation for the communities where their companies operate and their employees and their families live, and to other local communities across Slovenia. Novo mesto is the second mind of steel station in Dolenjska. Grosuplje was enriched with one before it, while street workout parks are also located in Ravne na Koroškem, Jesenice, Murska Sobota, Prevalje, Ljubljana, Nova Gorica, Mozirje, Krško, Postojna, Ptuj, Tržič, Slovenj Gradec, Pivka, Miklavž na Dravskem polju and Kranj.
The street workout parks are intended for outdoor recreation and facilitate various physical exercises. The steel assembly is particularly strong and resilient, a prerequisite for an outdoor gym. Steel is the ideal material as it tolerates changing weather conditions well, and with its strength and rigidity gives users the confidence to test their body and mind of steel. The street workout was crafted by SIJ Ravne Systems. The end product consists of 86 metres of steel pipes, 44 couplings and 19 caps for columns.
Friday's grand opening ceremony of the new street workout park at the Portoval stadium was attended by the first Vice President of the OCS-ASF Janez Sodržnik, SIJ Group's Head of Corporate Communications Katja Krumpak, the Deputy Mayor of the City Municipality of Novo mesto Boštjan Grobler, the President of the Novo mesto sports association and head of the OCS-ASF regional office Metod Jerman and the Director of Adria Mobil Cycling Team Bogdan Fink.
Like all the other street workout parks, this one, too, got its own local ambassador, whose story, which is interwoven with a good measure of the mind of steel, can be an inspiration to anyone. Marko Kump is a former Slovenian representative cycling team member, a sprint specialist, who left his sporting mark in Slovenia and abroad. With his work in a cycling club, he has remained true to sport even after ending his professional career. “The young still need to be encouraged to participate in sport. This is the only way we will continue to achieve numerous international successes in the future. And not only in cycling, but also in other sports. Things like this street workout certainly help get kids out into nature and encourage them to do sport. This is very heartening,” enthused the ambassador of the steel street workout park in Novo mesto.
Neither did the Vice President of the OCS-ASF Janez Sodržnik hide his enthusiasm for the new and penultimate – this year's last street workout will be built in Jesenice – acquisition of the year. “Our wish is for as many people as possible to be physically active. That is also this street workout park’s message. With it we awaken the mind of steel among people, which encourages them to be physically active,” he said.
“As producers of value-added steels, we at Slovenian Steel Group, like top athletes, are always striving for excellence in our industry. The path to excellence and the achieved goal is never easy. To achieve the maximum in sport, as well as in business, one needs a mind of steel.
It has been a part of SIJ Group’s character since the very beginning, and it gladdens me that the initiative to build a street workout park and spread the mind of steel was well received by the City Municipality of Novo mesto,” remarked Katja Krumpak, SIJ Group’s Head of Corporate Communications.
The home of the 17th steel street workout park is the Portoval stadium in Novo mesto, where the mind of steel has been moulding successful sportspeople in various disciplines for over 60 years, and which is also frequented by numerous recreational athletes. “The location of the street workout park is well thought out. On Portoval, there is a well-known running track where sportspeople and recreational athletes warm up before their practice sessions. It is especially popular with recreational athletes, who prefer peaceful and discreet locations,” Boštjan Grobler, Deputy Mayor of the City Municipality of Novo mesto, explained at the grand opening of the new acquisition on the right bank of the Krka River and added, »Novo mesto is a sporting city. We pay a lot of attention to improving sports infrastructure and conditions for young athletes. We give our sincere thanks to SIJ Group and the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, who, with this street workout park, are helping us achieve our aim.”
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SIJ Group is the largest vertically integrated metallurgical group in Slovenia. Its products occupy top positions in European and global niche steel markets. It is among the ten largest corporate groups, among the largest exporters, and one of the most important employers in Slovenia.
Additional information:
SIJ – Slovenska industrija jekla, d.d.
Katja Krumpak, Head of Corporate Communications
Corporate Communications
Telephone: +386 1 242 98 59
Mobile: +386 1 41 814 041
Email: katja.krumpak@sij.si
