The decked up Joggers’ Park at Sonari in Jamshedpur on Friday. Picture by Animesh Sengupta

A cake, candles, some music and a birthday dinner for a six-year-old. Simple and sweet.

Only, it’s not for a child, but a park in Sonari, Jamshedpur.

Joggers’ Park, a 600sqft stretch with a 369m-long, 5ft-wide jogging track, was constructed by Jusco and gifted to residents of Kagalnagar in Sonari on December 30, 2005.

Soon, a club was formed by those who started frequenting the park. Since then, grateful members — joggers, morning walkers and the like — now numbering 200, have been regularly celebrating the park’s birthday.

“The vacant stretch was a haven of goons. We made repeated requests to Jusco to make a park. The utility company erected boundary walls and laid a jogger’s track. We started with six members. Now we are a band of 200,” said treasurer of the club Jai Prakash Singh.

He is also one of those actively involved in the preparations of the birthday party, involving a ceremonious cutting of the cake, a musical performance by a city-based orchestra, and followed by a community dinner.

“We have two objectives, spreading awareness about physical fitness and conservation of the environment. Thanks to the park, a real difference has happened,” said the treasurer.

Those who can’t jog, practise yoga. Some do both as well as take brisk walks, said Singh.

Since 2007, members have increased their ambit of activities involving physical fitness and environment conservation. They have been organising free health check-up camps twice a month. They also plant saplings every year during World Environment Day on June 5 and organise awareness rallies for environment conservation. The club has deputed three persons to clean up the area and water the 250-odd saplings and trees in the park. In 2012, the club plans to set up a rainwater harvesting unit on the premises of the park itself.

“We also encourage nearby cradles RMS Balichela School and BSS Pranavananda Children’s Ward to host sports contests at the park. We tell youths to walk in the park instead of the treadmill and feel the difference. Outdoor physical exercises keep one healthy and young,” said club secretary Soumitra Dutta.