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Untie your chi for free

City Council has started offering free tai chi classes at parks in several suburbs, eliciting mixed responses from local businesses. The classes, provided by not-for-profit organisation SHARE, aim to provide a cheap exercise option for senior city residents. They began in late January, taking place in Eddie Ward Park on Tuesday and Victoria and Redfern Parks on Wednesday reports Matt Carr in City news 18 February 2009.

“These parks were chosen to allow for disruptions which may occur due to wet weather, heat wave conditions or adverse cooler conditions,” a Council spokesperson said. “The sites all have alternative large undercover areas available nearby for use during wet weather, all sites have large shady trees for when the weather is hot and protected sunny areas for when the weather is cooler.”

Robin Chambers from Sydney School of Tai Chi believes the free classes won’t really impact his group or other tai chi organisations in the area. While his group run as a club rather than a business, he believes the classes could actually help tai chi businesses in the area.

“Businesses or people doing the same thing in an area doesn’t mean the other businesses are going to lose money. In fact, it can often be quite the opposite as it stimulates interest,” he said.

But Kellen Thia from the Tai Chi Society Sydney was unaware of the free classes when contacted by City News, and unsure what effects they might have on their classes at Argyle Street.

“I don’t know,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see, because it’s only been running for a few weeks.” To join in the new classes contact Jeffrey at City of Sydney on 9265 9489.

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