June 2nd is National Health and Fitness Day.

Mayor Irvine Ferris explains why it's important to recognize the event in the city of Portage la Prairie.

"Certainly to promote fitness and health," says Ferris. "This is really important for the community and we've seen levels of fitness and healthy activities improving over the last number of years."

Promoting the day is a huge milestone for the city and for the Portage Regional Recreation Authority says PRRA General Manager David Sattler, adding recreation leads to healthy communities. He encourages people to get out and be active.

"Do anything that they find comforting, or exercising to promote health and fitness. When we think of recreation, maybe something out of the box, whether it be gardening, we would consider that recreation. It's getting out, enjoying life, maybe reducing some of that stress and living a healthy lifestyle," says Sattler.

PRRA Manger of Recreation Angie Shindle agrees fitness and recreation are important to help cope with stress.

"Fitness and recreation, and even mental health, are huge in our surrounding area. It's really important to be active," says Shindle, "and it's not necessarily being physically active, but doing social activities such as interacting with your peers."

She notes for this reason the PRRA is excited to host a free zumba class on fitness day. Shindle adds they also are encouraging people to come out to Splash Island that day as it officially opened for the Summer.