Shreveport City Council Offers Free Senior Fitness Programs

The Shreveport City Council approved funding last month for free senior fitness programs that start July 15 at Querbes Park and the Shreveport Common on Texas Street.

City data show the share of Caddo Parish residents over 65 rose to 18 percent in the 2025 census update, and local health officials have noted rising reports of mobility issues tied to inactivity during the humid summer months. The new sessions target those gaps with twice-weekly classes that require no registration fee or equipment purchase.

Classes set for Highland and downtown sites

At Querbes Park on Gilbert Drive in the Highland neighborhood, instructors lead chair-based strength routines and short walking loops along the park paths every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. Downtown, the same schedule runs at the Shreveport Common plaza, where participants meet near the fountain for balance drills and light stretching before the midday heat builds. Both locations offer shaded rest areas and water stations supplied by the parks department.

Numbers show steady local demand

The department reported 1,240 senior visits to its existing wellness programs in the first half of 2026, up 22 percent from the same period in 2025. Each new class will cap at 40 people to keep instructor ratios low, and sessions run 45 minutes. No equipment fee applies; participants simply bring a towel and wear comfortable shoes. City staff will track attendance through July and August before deciding whether to add evening slots at the same venues.

Residents can sign up by calling the Shreveport Recreation and Parks office at 318-673-6500 or by stopping at the front desk of City Hall on Texas Street before the first session. Staff recommend arriving 15 minutes early for a brief health questionnaire that helps match participants to the right intensity level.