NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure
Adventurous spaces insights report
‘Embracing adventure enriches lives across all ages, but it holds particular significance for children and young individuals.’ – Adventurous Spaces best practice design guide
The benefit of participating in adventurous recreation activities, such as skating, bmx, scooting and mountain biking are well understood. What once were considered extreme activities are now fairly mainstream and more people want quality, safe and well designed spaces where they can participate in them close to home.
Our Adventurous spaces insights report provides research into the benefits, barriers, myths, and best practices relating to adventurous spaces for play. It aims to provide the insights needed to address the challenges that are faced by the community, government and industry in the delivery of high-quality open spaces across NSW, including bridging the gap between local councils and community perceptions with regard to risk and play.
How we did it
The insights presented were based on the following quantitative and qualitative research:
- The Adventurous play literature review providing an overview of the research relating to adventurous play with a focus on understanding the importance, value and benefits of adventurous play and adventurous spaces, understanding various perceptions of risk, hazards, barriers, and needs; and identifying lessons for government stakeholders from the literature that can “myth bust” concerns around adventurous play and encourage the provision of more adventurous spaces within playful cities.
- A review and collation of best practice NSW adventurous spaces case studies that demonstrate adventurous spaces and activation exemplars. This includes learnings to apply within a NSW context and the benefits they bring to public open spaces.
- The Adventurous play survey 2022 representative of 1,450 residents across NSW’s geographic areas, cultural backgrounds, ages and abilities (conducted by Micromex Research). The survey sought to provide insights into actual and desired participation in adventurous play, to provide clarity around the communities’ attitude to risk in play; and to understand attitudes and barriers to participation in adventurous play activities.
- 10 x interviews with metropolitan and regional councils, industry stakeholders, and academics relating to participation in adventurous play, and risks and benefits of adventurous play and adventurous spaces.
