Neoliberalism’s influence on recreation access provisions: Municipal recreation practitioners’ perspectives

Abstract

Abstract This study examined neoliberalism’s influence on how access provisions are conceptualized and designed by municipal recreation practitioners. Specific attention is paid to how neoliberalism intersects with practitioners’ conceptualizations and administration of recreation access provisions for low-income citizens. Sixteen municipal recreation practitioners in Atlantic Canada were interviewed. Our findings indicated that practitioners viewed access to municipal recreation for low-income citizens predominantly in terms of financial resources and needing to break down several barriers. Further, four types of recreation access provisions for low-income citizens were administered by practitioners, including fee assistance programs, subsidies for all, one-off scenarios, and robust alternative supports.