RALEIGH, N.C. — July is Parks and Recreation Month in the Tar Heel State and the City of Raleigh is celebrating with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the brand new Panthers Play 60 Challenge Course.

What You Need To Know

  • Panthers Play 60 is a part of the National Football League's initiative to encourage children to be active for 60 minutes a day

  • The plan for the park on Barwell Road originally began as a playground

  • The Carolina Panther’s donated $150,000 to the City of Raleigh

“Not only is it a special and unique thing for this growing part of the city, but it’s a really special and unique thing for our entire system,” Dean Perry said, the project manager for Raleigh Parks.

Panthers Play 60 is a part of the National Football League's initiative to encourage children to be active for 60 minutes a day. The challenge course includes obstacles that put challenger’s agility, speed and coordination up to the test. It also includes a timed 40-yard-dash with motion sensors that detect a runners take off.

The plan for the park on Barwell Road originally began as a playground. The Carolina Panthers donated $150,000 to the City of Raleigh in order to include the challenge course.

Perry, who has a background in urban planning and landscape architecture, has been working on this project since he started his job with Raleigh Parks four years ago.

“This project has actually been with me the entire time I’ve been with the city, so this project is particularly special to me and I am really excited to see this one cross the finish line,” Perry said.

Additional features at the park include a "pump-up" station and a selfie wall.

There are three other Panthers Play 60 Challenge Courses located at Mecklenburg County’s Freedom Park, Hornets Nest Park and Reedy Creek Park.

The park is open from dawn to dusk.