The first phase from November 27 - December 20, 2024, includes a general household survey representing a wide range of groups, conducted online, through telephone interviews and via Engaged Edmonton. The focus will be on identifying current and future sport and active recreation needs at the district level, and understanding the needs and expectations of the community.
Edmonton is working on a plan for the future of sports and recreation in our city! This project is called Engage and Play: Shaping Public Recreation in Edmonton. We want to know what's important to you so we can make smart choices about programs, facilities and how we spend money.
Here's How We're Doing It
- Learning from others: We're looking at what other cities across Canada are doing well to see what we can learn.
- Checking the trends: We're studying what sports are popular now and what might be popular in the future, both in Edmonton and across the country. This helps us plan for the facilities and programs you'll need.
- Talking to you! We're offering lots of ways for you to share your thoughts, including online surveys, phone calls and in-person events.
Public Engagement Results
Thanks for your participation!
Between November 27, 2024 to March 28, 2025, we conducted:
- 2,546 online survey responses and 1,867 phone surveys across 15 city districts, as well as 26 focus groups.
- 2,710 visits to Engaged Edmonton with 85 ideas and stories shared. 70 different contributors and 187 interactions.
What We Heard From You
- There is demand for facilities, amenities and programs with a focus on geographical distribution and accessibility.
- You would like user experience improvements including maintenance of and upgrades to existing facilities and online booking systems.
- You are asking for more recreation opportunities - we know recreation is important to you and there are still barriers to access. We are working to reduce this by continuing to make public spaces safe and affordable while increasing opportunities for access.
What's Next?
- We are using your feedback to create a new plan that will help break down barriers and make sure our recreation programs and facilities are welcoming and accessible to everyone in the community.
- We are reviewing all our current programs and facilities to ensure we're getting the most out of what we have. This will help us make smart, evidence-based decisions about future projects and budgets.
- We are reviewing the recommendations we received to identify both immediate improvement opportunities and longer-term initiatives that will improve our overall public recreation offerings.
- Insights from this study will inform future budget processes and help optimize existing resources, ensuring all financial decisions align with community needs and identified priorities.
- Stay tuned for what’s to come for the future of sport and recreation in Edmonton!
Public Engagement Timeline
The community engagement aims to gather input from residents across Edmonton, ensuring broad insights, which is in keeping with the City's goal for equal access and representation across demographic groupings. The community engagement will be completed in two phases.
Phase 1
Phase 2
The second phase, taking place in 2025, will involve interviews and focus groups with Edmontonians, partners and user groups and continued use of the Engaged Edmonton page. This phase will seek to gain deeper insight into the specific needs expressed via the survey including clearer understanding of equitable programming needs as well as the similarities and differences expressed by specific groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the City conducting research on sports and recreation needs?
With Edmonton’s population on track to reach 2 million people, it is essential that the city be prepared for the needs of our growing and changing community. This research will help the City make informed decisions that support both immediate and future needs and uphold the commitments found in the City Plan, including equitable access to services and amenities for all Edmontonians.
What specific issues is this research aiming to address?
The research aims to ensure the City can meet growing demand for more varied and accessible recreational opportunities across all districts and demographic groups. The jurisdictional scan will be to identify best practices and innovative approaches that could be adopted or adapted from elsewhere to address similar issues or challenges here. The review of the current state of sporting activities in Edmonton and beyond will be to gain a deeper understanding of the growth and trending of various sports to inform current and future programming and infrastructure needs. The community engagement being conducted seeks to understand the types of sport and active recreational programs and facilities residents need to serve the city’s diverse population. All of this will be used to inform policy direction, service improvements, operational model adjustments and budget considerations.
What impact will the research have on the City’s budgeting and future planning?
The research will guide forward-thinking planning and budgeting allowing the City to more effectively make investments in recreation that maximize the benefits for residents. This will help the City better address population growth and demographic shifts impacting future wants while meeting current recreational needs.
How will this research benefit Edmontonians?
This research benefits residents by ensuring the City’s sports and recreational amenities are better aligned with their needs, both now and in the future. As the city grows, it will be better informed and equipped to expand and diversify recreational options, making them accessible and relevant for residents.
What happens after the research is complete?
Once the research findings are gathered and analyzed, the City will use the insights to inform short and long-term sports and recreational planning while balancing fiscal realities in order to create a sustainable model for growth and equitable access to services.