Under the mandate of Sport Vlaanderen, a consortium of Vital Cities, IDEA Consult, Citylegends, and Urban Sports Performance Center (USPC) has teamed up to expand and promote urban sports in Flanders.
Using our complementary expertise, we provide sports federations with guidance at multiple levels (infrastructure, organisation, strategy, target groups, communication, and so on).
We offer this assistance both in the context of a group process and in tailored situations in order to tackle the specific challenges of Gymfed, Skate Vlaanderen, Danssport Vlaanderen, Fros, Basketbal Vlaanderen, and Cycling Vlaanderen, among others.
Throughout this assignment, Vital Cities’ role has been to support the federations with respect to the spatial and infrastructural challenges of urban sports in Flanders in the following ways:
- Assist with spatial research in order to gain insights in the urban setting as a ‘playground’ for urban athletes. Together with federations and local administrations, we investigate whether urban athletes can find the challenges and facilities they need to practise their sports and to meet one another in their immediate surroundings. We mainly focus on outdoor spaces, but also look at (expansion) opportunities for indoor facilities. We get a better view of the areas where improvement is possible or necessary.
- Facilitate two-way communication between federations and the athletes, key persons, policymakers, and local actors such as federations, sports clubs, etc.
- Provide inspiration through well-founded practical and scientific knowledge on urban sports, including domestic and international examples of good practices (e.g. urban sports as a tool, local heroes, top sport and talent development, events, and more).
Besides group programmes and process support, we also set up a learning network with the coordinators of the sports federations involved. Sport Vlaanderen, local administrations, and various other stakeholders are part of this network as well.
This is our way of joining forces to develop a future strategy for urban sports in Flanders that enjoys broad support.
