Appendix A: Benefits

1.  Sport Involves:

Individual Participants

• According to a 1992, Sport Canada Survey, 869,000 Albertans (45%) participated in recreational sport on a regular basis. The top ten sports included golf, downhill skiing, baseball, hockey, volleyball, cross-country skiing, curling, bowling, basketball and swimming
• During the 1991/92 sport season, 43,000 (26%) of children and youth participated in programs offered by Edmonton based sport groups (City of Edmonton, 1993)
• 45,500 participants were involved in field sport activities in Edmonton during 1995 (1996 City of Edmonton Field Sport Strategy)

Support Volunteers

• According to a 1992, Sport Canada Survey, 409,000 Albertans played a support role to amateur sport as coaches, referees or umpires and as volunteer helpers

2. Sport Makes A Difference:

For Individuals   

• In a well designed sport program, children can develop self confidence, become more autonomous, and develop feelings of self-worth (Coop & Rotella, 1991)
• Sport can enhance the quality of life for children and youth. It is important to provide the widest possible opportunities for young people to participate in physical activity and sport (Chappel, R. (986).
• There is clear evidence that physical activity and physical training provides individuals with a more positive self image and there are results in improvements in mental health (Eide, R. (1982).
• Youth sport participation in clubs and groups positively relates to life satisfaction. Adolescents involved in club and group sport smoke and drink alcohol less than non-sport participants (Vilhjalmsson and Thorlinsson, 1992).
• A comprehensive literature search related to the potential of recreation in delinquency intervention found that: there were increases in self-esteem and improved overall self-concept; there were decreases in the sense of hopelessness of at-risk or delinquent youth (McKay, 1993)

For the Community

• Sport can be used as a unifying force within communities. Ethnic groups have used sport as a means of coping with urban life. Sport can help communities grow and develop (Lewis, C., 1976).
• Sport serves to strengthen community ties in modern urbanized society. Sport events and the reporting of sport can foster imaginary, intimate or quasi-intimate relationships to help satisfy the human need for belonging (Anderson, D.F. & Stone, G.P., 1981)

For the Economy

• 43,000 children and youth directly spent $17 million to participate in organized sport during the 1991/92 playing season (City of Edmonton, 1993)
• A modest 3% increase in participation in amateur sport and physical recreation would save the Canadian taxpayers $41 million Dollars on treating coronary disease alone. (1993 Physical Activity Strategy - Ontario Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation)
• Total leisure expenditures in Alberta are in excess of $6.5 Billion (1992 Provincial Government Report)
• Expenditures generated from the 1994 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships totalled $1.6 million. (Provincial Government report, 1994)

Appendix B: City Council Motion

At the City Council Meeting of March 18, 1997, a motion was passed that:

“The Community Services Department work with community stakeholders to explore the need, mandate and support for a Sports Council and report back to the Community Services Committee in September, 1997.”

On September 29, 1997, an interim report was made to Community Services Committee. At that meeting, a motion was passed that:

“The ‘Sport Strategy Working Team’ present the final report of the Edmonton Sport Strategy to the Community Services Committee on Nov. 17, 1997, in conjunction with the Community Services Department report responding to City Council’s March 18, 1997 motion.”