Sport and exercise are becoming increasingly popular and thankfully the numbers of individuals who are now physically active is on the rise. At the same time, the range of sports and activities that they are involved in is also growing. The greater diversity we are seeing in the exercise landscape is undoubtedly a positive development that, however, still needs to be supported by the relevant infrastructure. In medium-sized and larger urban areas it is usually possible to provide suitable facilities for those wishing to exercise or indulge in sport. In the case of smaller communities in rural locations, on the other hand, this is often much more problematic. The financial resources available here are considerably more limited so that it can be necessary to give other projects priority. At the same time, this does not mean that it is not possible under these circumstances to create attractive sport and exercise options. But to meet the needs of as many active locals as possible, it is advisable to take a few factors into account during planning.
What do local sport groups offer?
In rural areas, the local sports ground can be more than just somewhere to play games. Most often used to play football, it can also function as an important social centre for residents, while major sporting events held there can be considered significant events for the community as a whole. At the core of all this is the local sports association. In thinly populated rural regions, the social relevance of a sports association can be greater than in larger communities and towns. This is because, among other things, a larger range of social activities tend to be on offer in urban areas. Moreover, local cohesion in smaller communities can be promoted by the sports association. Reason enough to ensure that these groups have appropriate sport facilities at their disposal. Where they do not have their own facilities, those owned by the local authority ‒ if possible, more than just the standard football pitch or gym ‒ need to be made available to them. Associations can provide good and adequate exercise options both in cities and in the country ‒ the only question is whether a suitable infrastructure is in place.
When smaller communities set about planning exercise facilities, they need to get involved with their local sports association as primary and most important advisor. Those that offer a range of different forms of sport and exercise activities will generally have a good overview of what their members need and the limitations of the facilities already available. When it comes to non-organised forms of exercise, it is often difficult to obtain insights into what the local residents really want. Regular, clear communication between those responsible and sport associations is thus essential from the planning point of view. Moreover, there can be other advantages. Sports associations can actively include new exercise spaces in their range of activities and can also help with upkeep.
What kinds of exercise options are suitable?
One significant problem rural regions need to deal with is demographic transition. Younger persons generally move to urban areas, meaning that the average age of the population in rural regions is steadily growing. This factor also needs to be taken into account when planning local sport infrastructure in two respects; there needs to be a range of exercise options that are suitable for older people while attractive alternatives that appeal to younger people also must be put in place to ensure that the locality remains attractive for them as somewhere to live. Diversity and multifunctionality are important in connection with the related sports facilities as these need to be locations where non-specific activities ‒ as opposed to those that take place on the football field or in the gym ‒ should be possible. Parcours trails offer the opportunity for users to undertake various forms of exercise at differing levels of difficulty and can be used by young and old, by beginners and experts. So, it is relatively easy to design these with options appropriate for older users. Callisthenic exercises can be readily integrated and appeal particularly to younger people. Dedicated parcours facilities would be equally attractive options, however, they are more complex to design and costly to install. Skateparks still act as magnets for the younger age group while a pump track ‒ if designed appropriately ‒ can not only be used by those on bikes but even by those who need to use a rollator. Unfortunately, there is no one-size fits all solution so the provision of a combination of various options that are likely to prove attractive to the largest proportion of the population is the best way forward. But to really meet the needs of the locals, the best thing to do is ask them what they want. And locals in rural communities are frequently more willing to be involved in consultation processes over a longer period than are urban dwellers.
Intercommunal collaboration
It is all very well to think outside the box, but this will not be enough to ensure that a successful exercise infrastructure is in place. One way around this problem is for various communities to work together. For example, if one community installs an attractive streetball pitch that proves to be popular and the community next door decides it would thus be a good idea if they also installed a streetball pitch, and the community next door to them then starts to think the same ‒ there is no doubt that the local streetball community would be over the moon but others looking for somewhere to exercise would feel out in the cold. Those interested in non-organised forms of exercise who live in rural locations are often in close contact with each and perfectly willing to travel longer distances to find what they want. When planning the sport infrastructure, it is thus advisable to approach this from a regional point of view rather than just within local boundaries. If a number of neighbouring communities come together to draw up a plan, the resultant variation of exercise options will not just make the region in general more attractive but also the individual communities ‒ even if a particularly attractive exercise facility is actually located somewhere else. Intercommunal collaboration can be not only beneficial with regard to smaller sports facilities and for those seeking non-specific forms of exercise. Every community will not need, for example, a state-of-the-art communal football pitch if there are only, say, five teams that play locally. If two or three communities share a pitch, resources and options for constructing other exercise facilities become available and everyone benefits. Assuming it is used regularly by the local sports association, there is no reason why the social rendezvous should not be in the next-door community. Collaboration can be extended to the sports associations themselves. The extensive local network of exercise options that this could bring about would represent the basis for an appropriate regional sport infrastructure from which all involved profit.
Involvement of all local interested parties and stakeholders
Sports associations and local communities that wish to create attractive exercise facilities are not solely restricted to the limitations of their own budgets. There are plenty of ways of obtaining sponsorship for this purpose. So it is a good idea to get other groups, associations and stakeholders on board. A successful sport infrastructure is an asset for everyone. Money and support for planning and maintenance can be obtained from local businesses and citizens' organisations ‒ there are many who would be willing to provide support to larger projects. One example is the Niesebach encounter and exercise park in Kollerbeck.
Tennis is not only catered for here but now also other forms of exercise. The local cultural and arts club collected money through various sources to pay for a site with a large range of various fitness equipment. But the project was not only funded with the finance collected by the club but also through the donations brought in by a leader project and a crowdfunding project. And the club members not only put up the cash, they also rolled up their shirt sleeves and got down to work to prepare the site and dig foundations.
The fitness equipment supplied by playparc that is now installed there is suitable for all age groups and meets current trends, while the site itself not only plays an important social role as a meeting place for local residents but is also an attraction that families living outside the immediate district consider worth visiting. In other words, a group not directly involved with sport has here become involved in creating a sports facility. Cooperation in this form is thus important and serves both the sustainability of such projects and the extent to which they are accepted.
Conclusions
There is no doubt that it is difficult for smaller communities to put together a diverse and extensive sport infrastructure. But by means of collaborative approaches and good planning it is possible to provide almost as much as cities themselves can offer: exercise options for all sections of the population.
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