More than 100 sport and recreation leaders met in Auckland today to discuss the future of sport in the country's biggest city.
Minister for Sport and Recreation Jonathan Coleman and Auckland mayor Len Brown addressed the audience, and three reports were launched looking at show the city's citizens are approaching sport and active recreation in thearea; the economic value of sport and recreation to the region and Auckland Sport and Recreation's strategic action plan.
The research includes adult participation figures from Sport NZ's latest 'Active NZ' survey which revealed 78% of Auckland adults take part in sport and recreation in any given week, higher than the national figure which is 74%. The research also shows that sport and recreation make a significant contribution to the Auckland economy - $1.7 billion per annum, or 2.2%, to the regional GDP.
Sport NZ Chief Executive Peter Miskimmin said the research shows that sport and recreation are important to Auckland and Aucklanders.
"Sport provides many, many benefits to both individuals and communities. Certainly health and fitness are part of that, but it also provides opportunities for community engagement and development, and helps build resilient young people. This research tells us that Aucklanders lead active, sporty lives, but we know there are challenges on the horizon, including a global trend towards inactivity. This makes it even more important that we work together to understand and then meet the needs of participants, so that sport continues to enrich the lives of future generations of Aucklanders. "