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Session Guide

75-Minute Education Session

SAT-C04: Tactical Recreation—Activating Urban Spaces through Recreation

Saturday, October 28, 2023
3:45pm – 5:00pm CT
1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW, AICP, FL, NY/HSW

Urban action sports—like skateboarding, scootering, BMX, and parkour—see the public realm differently and are fundamentally tied to the urban environment. We challenge creators of public space to move provide equitable recreation opportunities for this ‘Tactical Recreation’ group who interpret the city through movement.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand the challenges raised by tactical recreational activities and how the standard implementation of defensive architecture and prohibition leads to exclusion, opposition, conflict, and a missed opportunity.
  • Understand the range of benefits achieved by action sports recreation in the city, such as providing mental and physical health benefits for urban communities.
  • Demonstrate ways to engage tactical recreation users more effectively and how to build a sense of community ownership and responsibility towards purpose-built designs.
  • Learn design strategies that encourage tactical recreation in vibrant spaces while mitigating conflict with other user groups.