Cynthia González·
Things To Do
··3 min read

Beyond The Gym: Asunción’s ‘Active Squares’ Spring To Life With Free Fitness

Asunción’s public squares are transforming into community fitness hubs through a pioneering municipal programme that brings professional sports instruction, nutritional consultations, and vaccination services directly to neighbourhood parks. These Active Squares (Plazas Activas) are free of charge, and open to all ages.

What began as a monthly initiative, with Plaza Pedro Juan Caballero in the Los Laureles neighbourhood of Asunción serving as the first location, has evolved into a city-wide movement. A movement that is redefining how residents interact with local green spaces.

Promoting sport, health, and wellbeing

The Active Squares programme, launched by Asunción Municipality in partnership with the National Sports Secretariat, represents a fresh approach to community wellness.

“We were searching for activities that would benefit citizens in their own neighbourhoods,” explains Jorge Oxilia, who oversees the public programme. “We wanted each resident to see themselves reflected in activities that promote sport, health, wellbeing, and staying fit.”

The initiative addresses what Oxilia – even though celebrations like San Juan might find their way there – describes as “spaces that were somewhat dormant”; public squares with good infrastructure, but lacking programming to fully serve communities.

A tailored approach to community fitness

Each Active Squares event is carefully adapted to its location. Professional instructors first assess each square’s physical characteristics, before determining which activities to offer. The programme features Olympic sports – strategically chosen to build awareness ahead of the Pan American Junior Games Asunción 2025 – alongside recreational activities including dance, football, zumba, badminton, judo, aerobics, and other sports.

Municipal technical teams work alongside certified sports professionals, nutritionists, and health ministry vaccination teams. This way the teams create comprehensive support for participants of all ages and fitness levels.

Building bridges through sport

Beyond physical fitness, Active Squares addresses broader community objectives. The programme promotes values of coexistence, inclusion, and citizen participation whilst reclaiming underutilised public spaces.

“Many times neighbours do not know each other, but now they have the possibility to share a space for a few hours together,” Oxilia explains. “Perhaps they will get to know each other, integrate, and who knows if they will become good friends.”

This community-building aspect proves particularly valuable for newcomers. The programme’s design makes it naturally accessible to non-Spanish speakers through professional instructor guidance.

Expanding success

The programme’s popularity has driven its evolution from monthly events, to a more frequent schedule. What started as a pilot project, has become a permanent fixture with established annual programming.

“The programme is being successful. We have many requests from people wanting us to come to their neighbourhood,” Oxilia reports. This success has prompted plans to increase frequency whilst expanding coverage across the capital’s major public spaces.

The programme has already visited several locations throughout 2025. May events took place at Plaza Pedro Juan Caballero in Los Laureles, and Plaza de las Residentas in Las Lomas. The planned event for Plaza San Isidro in Republicano, originally scheduled for 28 June, has been rescheduled to this Saturday, 5 July.

Participation requires no advance registration. Residents simply appear at scheduled events. This accessibility, combined with comprehensive programming including fitness, nutrition, and preventive healthcare, positions Active Squares as a model for community-centred urban wellness initiatives.

2025 Active Squares schedule

As of early July, this is the upcoming 2025 Active Squares schedule.

Please note: this schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions and other circumstances. Residents are advised to check the Youth and Sports Department Municipality of Asunción on Instagram for any updates before attending events.