Club Amalgamation Research: Report to the Christchurch City Council

Report to Christchurch City Council from Sport Canterbury

Sport Canterbury

2001

Sport Canterbury

louisem@sportcanterbury.org.nz

www.sportcanterbury.org.nz

The Sport Industry plays a major role in the physical and mental well-being of a significant number of New Zealanders. This role is achieved through the direct participation of players, coaches, officials, and administrators, and indirectly through the associated benefits to other industries and sectors including Health, Education, Employment, Tourism, and Social Services.

With around 1,000 sports organisations in Canterbury, including both regional sports organisations and clubs, these organisations have a large responsibility for the way in which the Sport industry operates in that region.

Whilst Canterbury continues to enjoy considerable success on the sports field across a variety of codes, the reality is that a number of sports organisations do struggle in their day to day operations. This is due to a number of factors including:

• limited financial resources
• limited physical resources
• decreasing membership
• decreasing number of volunteers
• wider range of sporting options
• increasing move away from club membership to ‘user pays’ sporting activities
• wider range of non-sport leisure pursuits competing for people’s time
• changes to the labour force and working hours meaning a reduction in disposable time
• changes in family structures
• changes in the education industry

The result is that many sports organisations experience difficulties in effectively providing quality sports participation opportunities.

This reality is not limited only to Canterbury, with these and other issues consistently experienced at sports organisations throughout the country.

There is no doubt that many sports organisations are in good health, with stable memberships, appropriate facilities, receiving consistent support from volunteers. However demographic and lifestyle trends would indicate that these issues will affect more and more sports organisations, and those already struggling could face a disappointing future – unless they seek alternative solutions.

Keywords:

Canterbury, Christchurch, Club Amalgamation

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Feasibility

Canterbury

Facilities, Outdoor Recreation, Physical activity, Recreation, Sport

Clubs, Community, Other setting, Outdoors, Schools

Accomodation and facilities, Facilities (indoor), Facilities (outdoor), Parks - urban, Sportsvilles/Multisport centres

Barriers, Benefits, Fees, charges, user pays, Participation, Performance, Planning

2067

November 10, 2011

July 6, 2012