‘Parks for Sport and Recreation’ Third Phase Evaluation of Impact Research Report

Jo McFadyen & Glynis Longhurst

WINTEC

2014

WINTEC

rebecca.ericksen@wintec.ac.nz

Wintec Research Office

Waikato Institute of Technology

Tristram Street, Hamilton

Sport NZ develops partnerships with national sport and recreation organisations, regional sports trusts, local authorities and other relevant organisations.

In conjunction with Sport NZ goals and purpose of investment, a ‘Parks for Sport and Recreation’ project was implemented in June 2010, in the form of collaborative project by Sport Waikato and Hamilton City Council (HCC), along with Wintec and University of Waikato and other relevant groups, as part of their ‘Active Communities Strategy’. The communities included in the ‘Parks for Sport and Recreation’ project were Fairfield, Crawshaw and Melville as they were identified as low socio-economic areas that each had a Sports or Recreation Park available.

This project began by an attempted literature search for similar programmes and projects in other countries. Unfortunately, we were unable to find readily available, published articles on specific park, sport and recreation projects within the project time restrictions. The following is a report generated as the third phase of evaluation of the ‘Parks for Sport & Recreation’ project through participant observations in all three parks, as well as interviews with key stakeholders.

This is provided to HCC to inform the assessment of project performance, effectiveness and sustainability, along with providing further recommendations for future projects of a similar nature.

The three key findings of this report are:

·         Increased Sporting and Active Participation

Participants believe that sporting and recreational activity had increased significantly in all three parks. Participants in all three parks had also experienced increased sporting recreational and more diverse physical activity, highlighting the positive impact of the project.

·         Increased Positive Community Perception and Engagement

Participants reported an increased positive perception of use, enjoyment and vibrancy of all three parks. This included significantly increased levels of pride for each park, suggesting community ownership and buy-in, which will assist the ongoing sustainability of park changes.

• Reduced Crime

All three parks reported, through stakeholder and police interviews, decreased negative behaviours, vandalism and crime. Survey results indicated that stakeholders and residents believed their park was safer since the park changes were implemented.

The key recommendations based on these findings are:

• Increased community involvement

Community involvement has been commented on by multiple stakeholders from all parks as being critical to community engagement and ongoing sustainability of project changes. Since the implementation of the project this had increased, however participants indicated that these successes could be further developed. This could be achieved through initiatives such as more community-led art which involves local community members (this could also help decrease incidences of tagging).

Increased and well-maintained facilities and equipment

Stakeholder reported that increased numbers of people and groups utilising community parks, means that improved toilet and water facilities should be a part of any future initiatives. Youth focus groups and other stakeholders discussed the need for well-maintained equipment installations in community parks in order to ensure ongoing sustainability and reduced on-going costs.

Keywords:

territorial authorities, local authorities, lower socio economic communities, crime prevention, partnership, Active Communities, sustainability

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Mixed-method

Waikato

Report

Published

Outdoor Recreation, Recreation, Sport

Community, Outdoors

Accomodation and facilities, Parks - urban

Benefits, Delivery, Financing / funding, Impacts- social, Management, Participation

1283

August 22, 2014