2013, Volume 5, Issue 2

Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North



Romain Roult1, Jean-Marc Adjizian2, Sylvain Lefebvre2, Lucie Lapierre3

1Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres
2Universite du Quebec a Montreal
3Universite de Montreal


Author for correspondence: Romain Roult; Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres; email: romain.roult[at]uqtr.ca

DOI: 10.2478/bjha-2013-0011

Full text

Abstract

Background: Evaluate how neighboring sports equipment is used by elementary and high schools to reinforce physical activity among youth. Analyze the impacts of built environments on the forms of use of this type of equipment and attempt to distinguish the positive and negative effects of its installation.
Material/Methods: 22 semi-led interviews were undertaken among elementary and high school participants and managers of the skating rink. 33 phases of observation were made with the SOPLAY grid. Data from the interviews was analyzed with Atlas software in order to categorize the information. The information from the observations was processed with SPSS software in order to calculate certain levels of frequency.
Results: The frequent use of the rink by the schools leads us to believe that there really was an appropriation of the sports equipment. Nevertheless, this appropriation is incomplete, mainly because of a lack of information, of accessibility, and of animation. Concurrently, the size of the group, the types of offered activities, and the number of accompanying adults per student highly influenced the level of student participation and physical activity.
Conclusions: The skating rink’s appeal should be reinforced through a closer collaboration between the acting managers of the rink and of the schools. Concurrently, in order for the schools to truly consider the skating rink as an educational sports facility, various human and logistics supports coupled to targeted communication and animationstrategies should be implemented.


Key words: child/adolescent health, environmental health, physical activity/exercise, school health, Montreal


Cite this article as:

AMA:

Roult R, Adjizian J, Lefebvre S et al. Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North. Balt J Health Phys Activ. 2013;5(2). doi:10.2478/bjha-2013-0011

APA:

Roult, R., Adjizian, J., Lefebvre, S., & Lapierre, L. (2013). Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North. Balt J Health Phys Activ, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.2478/bjha-2013-0011

Chicago:

Roult, Romain, Adjizian Jean-Marc, Lefebvre Sylvain, Lapierre Lucie. 2013. "Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North". Balt J Health Phys Activ 5 (2). doi:10.2478/bjha-2013-0011

Harvard:

Roult, R., Adjizian, J., Lefebvre, S., and Lapierre, L. (2013). Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North. Balt J Health Phys Activ, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.2478/bjha-2013-0011

MLA:

Roult, Romain et al. "Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North." Balt J Health Phys Activ, vol. 5, no. 2, 2013. doi:10.2478/bjha-2013-0011

Vancouver:

Roult R, Adjizian J, Lefebvre S et al. Physical activity and the impacts of built environment on the use of neighboring sports equipment by elementary and high schools: The case of the “Blue, White, Move” [Bleu, Blanc, Bouge] skating rink in Montreal-North. Balt J Health Phys Activ 2013; 5(2). Available from: doi:10.2478/bjha-2013-0011