“Parks and leisure in a changing world”

The 2020 Summit of 2008, the government’s Intergenerational and Closing the Gap reports and the debates on population levels and climate change draw attention to immediate and future challenges facing the parks and leisure profession. The conference will address a range of change drivers and current and potential responses.

The Sub-themes relate to industry response areas.

Responding to the Challenges through New Technology in Parks and Leisure
- Using technology to measure and monitor an economic return
- GIS services in mapping the changes
- Technology based play
- Play and modernization

Responding to the Challenges of Health and Wellbeing
- Obesity, Prevention and Lifestyle programs
- The importance of inclusion for all, strategies and policy for addressing mental health issues
- Demographic trends and the implications for health and well for being people and (demographic implications
- Intergenerational /cultural diversity changing lifestyles/society - how to keep them coming
- Changing trends in Generational and cultural Participation

Responding to the Challenges of Urban Growth
- Buildings and park design innovation – the next 20 years
- Landscapes (creating unique and valued places)
- Infrastructure management – what are we doing in response to under-resourcing
- Trends in catering for a social and cultural factors - beyond the space - placemaking; demographic   implications; Indigenous communities
- The debate between Natural playspace and manufactured playgrounds – designs which balance both
- Parks and leisure as economic drivers and economic change agents

Responding to the Challenges of Climate Change
- ‘Waterproofing’ programs in parks and leisure environments
- Environmental examples of best practice response to climate change impacts
- Biodiversity and the implications with climate change
- National parks and the conservation areas – how are we responding to change impacts
- Recreation within natural settings – what’s got to change!

Responding to the Challenges through improved Governance
- Partnerships in service delivery - such as alliances, infrastructure agreements, community contracting
- Strategic approaches to improved governance models within community (e.g. sports governance - intra   sports and inter sports and sustainability
- Securing financial futures through good governance – providing examples