Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Health Assistant Commissioner Lynn Silver, Sports Commissioner Kenneth Podziba, NY Mets Manager Willie Randolph, NY Giants' Defensive End Justin Tuck, NY Liberty legend Kym Hampton and Milwaukee Bucks' Charlie Villanueva yesterday launched BeFitNYC, a Parks recreation search engine, and celebrated with demonstrations of citywide fitness opportunities.

"With BeFitNYC, New Yorkers have countless fitness opportunities - many of which are free - at the click of a button," said Commissioner Benepe. "The BeFitNYC web site identifies all kind of activities from where to play basketball to which little leagues are in your borough to where you can kayak or take a dance class. Leave your excuses for not exercising at home because BeFitNYC can find ways to get in shape, at any age and in any neighborhood in the City."

"You don't necessarily have to be skinny to be 'fit' - so whether you're looking to shed some pounds, maintain basic fitness or just get out and enjoy Brooklyn and New York City's outstanding recreational options - you're never more than a mouse click away, thanks to BeFitNYC," said Brooklyn Borough President Markowitz. "Obesity is a major health issue, especially among our children, so I commend the City Parks and Health Departments and the American College of Sports Medicine for setting the pace--encouraging exercise and educating families about staying healthy and active. If only I had access to this technology many years (and many pounds) ago!"

BeFitNYC is an online search engine that allows visitors to find recreational and accessible activities in their neighborhood, from yoga to little leagues to kayaking. New Yorkers can log on to www.nyc.gov/parks/befitnyc to search by sport, age group, ZIP code or borough for all sports or fitness opportunities through organizations including New York City Parks & Recreation, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Bronx River Alliance, the Randall's Island Sports Foundation, the National Parks Service and more.

"New York City is in the midst of an obesity and diabetes epidemic," said Health Commissioner Frieden. "Being physically active is one of the best ways to stay and be healthy. And now, it's even easier for New Yorkers to find recreation and physical fitness programs that are fun and right around the corner. BeFitNYC offers one stop shopping for anyone looking to stay healthy and enjoy great activities in their neighborhood."

"New Yorkers of all ages maintain active lifestyles by participating in an array of individual and team-oriented activities," said Commissioner Podziba. "By creating a straightforward way to find information on a variety of sports and activities, BeFitNYC has made it even easier to become involved in programs all over the five boroughs, whether New Yorkers want to play on a local team or learn a new sport they've always wanted to try."

The web site also features fitness tips from the American College of Sports Medicine, a newsletter and the chance for users to provide Parks with feedback about their experiences with Parks programs, playgrounds and recreation centers. The graphics for the web site and advertisement were created by New York City & Company.

"We created a visual campaign that was easy and fun, and represented a wide range of sports to emphasize the variety of athletic opportunities New York City offers," said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. "We are confident that the BeFitNYC campaign will help increase awareness of these opportunities, and will lead to healthier and happier New Yorkers."

Elite athletes participated in a Shape Up New York demonstration along with Parks' sit aerobics sampling. Local kayak and bike groups presented a variety of activities offered through the Parks Department and affiliated partners.

This event was presented in partnership with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the American College of Sports Medicine.

Parks & Recreation is the steward of more than 29,000 acres of land - 14 percent of New York City - including more than 4,000 individual properties ranging from Yankee Stadium and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds; we manage four major stadia, 550 tennis courts, 54 public pools, 48 recreational facilities, 17 nature centers, 13 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches; we care for 1,200 monuments and 22 historic house museums; we look after 600,000 street trees, and two million more in parks. We are New York City's principal provider of athletic facilities. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals. For more information about Parks, visit: www.nyc.gov/parks.

The New York City Sports Commission is the mayoral agency charged with attracting, facilitating and promoting professional, amateur and scholastic sports events in New York City. In recent years, the Sports Commission has played a role in creating or developing many new sporting events, including the NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series™ Champions Week, the BMC Software NYC Cycling Championship, the AVP Brooklyn Open, the NAUTICA NYC Triathlon, the NYC Half-Marathon, the Union Square Street Sessions presented by Jeep®, the Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race and the Men's Health Urbanathlon.