The Montgomery County Office of Public Health — in partnership with Montgomery County Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites and the Montgomery County Planning Commission — has created a Qi Gong Circle along the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown.

Qi Gong, pronounced “chee gong,” is known for improving mental and physical health through exercises that combine the mind, body, and spirit. Like Tai Chi, Qi Gong is a series of movements done with the intention of benefiting a part of the body, such as the lungs or kidneys. Qi Gong was developed in China in the early 12th century.

The circle is easily spotted from the trail or Lafayette Street near the intersection of DeKalb Street and features a large, mulched circle surrounded by boulders. Eight Qi Gong stations are within the circle, with bilingual instructions in English and Spanish on either side of wooden posts, allowing more than one person to participate at a time. 

This initiative is part of an ongoing collaboration to draw community members to the Schuylkill River Trail and revitalize the area around the Trail Junction Center. Per the Planning Commission’s Trail Access, Diversity, and Awareness study, it was found that despite a major trail running through their town, many Norristown residents were either unaware of its existence or felt that it wasn’t for them — that it was for “serious” athletes. 

Installation of the Qi Gong Circle shows that trails and health are for everyone by creating a space that is welcoming and reflective of the community. Additional projects in the works for this section of the trail include adding a Montco StoryWalk around the Trail Junction Center, as well as working with local artists from Brush with the Law and Expressive Path to bring art to the trail. All projects and are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant. 

The approximate address for the Qi Gong Circle is 76 East Lafayette Street in Norristown. Parking can be found along East Lafayette Street, heading toward Conshohocken or at SEPTA’s Norristown Transportation Center at DeKalb and East Lafayette streets.