ENHANCING SPORT PARTICIPATION
“Developing co-located and integrated community facilities, such as schools and sport and recreation facilities, can maximise the efficiency of travel networks and service provision and enhance opportunities for sports participation, physical activity, well-being, community interaction and cohesion.”
Healthy Active By Design (Heart Foundation)
Integrated community facilities play a vital role in creating healthy communities, enhancing wellbeing, and building social networks. Shared use of sport and recreation facilities helps to increase community access to these services, as well as providing open spaces of a sufficient size to accommodate sporting spaces and infrastructure. These are important places for regular physical activity, social interaction and the development of a sense of community. It is also cost effective to provide social and community infrastructure through integrated facilities, shared use of facilities and multiple uses of space.
There are many additional benefits to joint provision and shared use of sport and recreation facilities, including:
- Less duplication and maximum use of community facilities and services
- Reduced operating costs
- Reduced capital costs by avoiding duplication of facilities such as parking, kiosk, changerooms etc
- Increased usage and revenue
- Shared capital costs, services, resources and expertise
- Creation of a community hub - a focal point for community activity with a diverse range of offerings that enhance health and well-being
- Improved relationships between community groups and organisations
- Increased community ownership of facilities
- Access to a broader range of services and expertise – improving opportunities for participation in sports and active recreation programs
- Increased viability of clubs and facilities.