Official opening set for Raleigh's first Panthers Play 60 course

Crews are putting the finishing touches on a new Panthers Play 60 Challenge Course at Barwell Road Park, and Raleigh officials have set the date for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in mid-July.

Last August, the Carolina Panthers presented a $150,000 check to the Raleigh City Council to build a Panthers Play 60 Game Time Challenge Course at the park. The play space is intended to provide new kinds of health and fitness opportunities in southeast Raleigh.

The course, the first in the Triangle, is described, according to a press release, as "NFL Combine meets Ninja Warrior." It will include a timed 40-yard dash, a traverse wall, floating boards and other obstacles to challenge children’s agility.

It's part of a decade-old NFL initiative to encourage kids to get at least an hour of physical activity each day. These playgrounds, according to the release, are designed to appeal to kids who have aged out of traditional playground equipment, which is typically designed for kids 12 and under.

The park is at 5857 Barwell Park Dr. (While parks often open up before the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, the city tells me that it is not open yet.)