City partners with world's largest producer of fizzy sugar water on new fitness programs

Boston will use a three-year grant from Coca-Cola to hire veterans to lead fitness programs in city parks and recreation centers.

As part of the Coca-Cola Troops for Fitness program, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department will offer free workshops and classes instructed by military veterans at parks and community centers citywide. The veterans will lead exercise programs including boot camps, golf clinics, cardio and strength training classes, running groups, family yoga, therapeutic yoga, and hiking workouts, just to name a few.

"This initiative allows us to offer free access to health and wellness resources for all neighborhoods in Boston while empowering local military veterans, thanks to the support from Coca-Cola and the [National Recreation and Park Association]," said Mayor Walsh. "Troops for Fitness benefits all participants, from attendees enjoying the free workshops to the veterans who will be using their well-honed skills to get Bostonians healthy and active."

The boot-camp style exercise classes will be held in Christopher Columbus Park, Hunt Almont Park in Mattapan and the Carter Playground in the South End.

Parks and Rec will post more details on its Web page.

Just last year, granted, under a different mayor, the city's Public Health Commission launched a campaign to get people to stop drinking many of the products Coca-Cola produces.

The commission is currently running a campaign to try to get parents to reduce their children's consumption of the sorts of beverages Coca-Cola produces.