Guest Article
www.parkworld-online.com
Leisure and entertainment, a new way to feel and to live our cities?
We all know the essential roles of our cities. But on closer inspection, we see that they are also increasingly welcoming new leisure activities. Where did this development come from? Is there a link with another kind of evolution in the amusement park industry? The booming development of urban-based activities and their success with a large audience is a fascinating phenomenon to observe but which also raises several questions. Let’s discover a new kind of playground: the city of leisure! Funfaircity founder, Vincent Philipe reports.
B
eyond the primary functions that have always shaped it, the city has always kept a capacity to adapt to the new expectations of its inhabitants and visitors. But should urban life be limited to a sum of functions or services? Does its intensity only come from its living environment, its landscape, its heritage or its facilities? Take a minute to think about the leisure places of the city you live in, you work in or you want to settle in. You’ll naturally think of stadiums, museums, theaters and cinemas, because it has been around for a long time. Then you’ll think of bowling, karting or laser games because there is always one close to you. Perhaps also a recreative aqua center integrating a wellness area, water games and slides. A ferris wheel or a merry-go-round? An adventure playground or an urban amusement park for the lucky ones? And let’s not forget the escape games, indoor climbing gym, trampoline- park, which was not widely used five years ago but is now very much present. And, more and more, places of entertainment exploiting virtual or augmented reality, eSports, immersive experiences, action games, indoor free fall, urban skiing on dry slopes, crazy golf for adults, and much more… Let us finally think of all the other places whose development is underway or to come!
Located in the city almost since its invention, these “free time places” are also changing and adapting to growing demand:
• The rise of online activity which has probably generated in reaction a search for experiences to be shared, in real life.
• Awareness by the general public of the impact of “over tourism” which encourages people to seek new experiences, but closer to where they live. And to save money for enjoying that.
• The decline in the involvement of local authorities in leisure activities, in a context of constrained budgets, thus leaving an important place for private alternative projects.
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• A general increase in free time – not only weekend or holidays – for al lot of categories of the population of developed countries.
• The gradual decrease in the size of housing and, in proportion, of the home-based leisure equipment they can accommodate, pushing city dwellers to seek outdoor recreation.
• The development and democratization of new technologies and materials or previously reserved for other activities (entertainment, high-level sport, etc.)
These factors multiply the desires and opportunities for leisure. But to get these leisure activities experienced out of home - an essential condition for them to be an integral part of the city - the question of their location becomes essential.
Like most of our lifestyle, today’s modern forms of entertainment have
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