Final evaluation meeting for the Placemaking for Active Recreation project partners

The project partners from BG Be Active, ISCA, Placemaking, DES, MOVE, Power Jump, AJSPT Suceava gathered to conduct the final evaluation of the PARK project after a two-year journey on healing our cities.

Within the project, together we have researched key trends in using placemaking for promoting physical activity, prepared the tools and approach to use the public spaces for active recreation, and developed policy recommendations.

Additionally, the online course is being finalized and will be presented later this month. The partners participated in several project meetings and learnt about the practices of physical activity in public spaces in Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain.

The partners discussed the achievements of the project – many mentioned a wonderful team spirit and a great opportunity for networking between grassroots sports and urban sectors. The team highlighted relevance of the PARK concept and agreed that PARK had not invented a new wheel, but rather connected the dots between the existing trends and knowledge. Pilot projects created also an important momentum to test the developed methodology and see its application in the context of four countries – Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, and Malta. The partners also noted flexibility of the developed concept – Placemaking for Active Recreation found its supporters among the civic organisations, communities, as well as schools.

The partners came up with amazing ideas to boost its potential. PARK has proved useful to build meaningful partnerships between the sectors, stakeholders and communities. The concept can be applied to create new spaces for physical activity, new networks and new policies, eventually leading to mindset and behavior change. The team also shared the plans on promoting the concept and resources.

At the end of the meeting, the team evaluated the project and underlined collaboration and inspiration as main elements of PARK.

Placemaking for Physical Activity Toolbox is the project initiated by BG Be Active. The overall aim of the project is to link placemakers (grassroots urban designers) and grassroots sports organisations and professionals, and as a result create a common solution package that will support and enhance the capacities of both sectors and result in better programmes and places that facilitate physical activity in urbanised areas. The project is supervised by the expert partners Placemaking Europe and ISCA who also supported the pilot actions. 



This project, led by BG Be Active, is funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.