How can youth engagement in Hamilton shape the design and programs of future recreation centres and wellness hubs?
Project Description: This research project aims to enhance community engagement and gather input from youth ages 13 to 25 in the Hamilton community to better understand their vision of a recreation centre or youth wellness hub. Through environmental scans, review of best-practices literature, site visits and audits, etc. the project seeks to uncover what youth envision for their local recreation centre, from the physical design and aesthetics to the emotional experience of being in the space. Key areas of focus include identifying the types of assets and facilities that would best serve youth needs, as well as the programs they would like to see offered. This can be done through internal class focus groups or surveys, environmental and/or community scans, participation in City of Hamilton Recreation Programming, etc. The collected insights will be used to establish a set of best practices for designing and operating youth-focused facilities, ensuring that future spaces are truly reflective of the community’s desires and needs.
In the coming years, Recreation will be designing and constructing three new Recreation Centres, along with upgrading several existing facilities. The valuable input gathered from youth plays a key role in shaping the design of these spaces. The eventual city-wide engagement process will ensure that all perspectives are considered in both the design and the development of programs.
City Staff: Victoria Kerekesch, District Manager, Recreation Operations
Deliverables: Primary Research, Secondary Research, Environmental/Municipal Scan, Audit Tool