Parkour Group Hopes To Practice Amazing Stunts In A Space Of Their Own

A group of Sun City athletes is hoping to change the way people think about parkour. The fast-paced activity means “obstacle course” in French and is described by many simply as the art of movement. Athletes will do flips off walls, jump from rails and do other stunts in gyms and public places.

“We want to legitimize the movement of parkour,” said Chris Fernandez, who has been training in parkour for several years. “We have a lot of trouble finding places to train.”

Fernandez and his friends didn’t have that problem about a year ago. They used to train at the El Paso Parkour Academy, but explain the gym changed ownership and is no longer available to them. Now the small but passionate group is finding support through larger organizations. “We’re merging with Parkour Federation, and we’re also going to be reviewing a proposal going to Austin to create a parkour park. Once we get that going my goal is to bring [a park] out here to El Paso,” said Fernandez.

Fernandez said they’re taking steps to make that goal a reality, but it may be years in the making. A spokesman with the El Paso’s Parks and Recreation office said several meetings and plans would have to be laid out before the plan gets the green light from city officials. Fernandez said his priority is making sure members of his group get accredited to teach parkour and start exploring possible avenues for funding from nonprofit organizations.