| dc.description.abstract | The City of Austin, a progressive city that has been experiencing an astonishing rate of growth in recent years and will continue to do so, is only slightly above average in terms of health and fitness. Crucially, it is below average in all categories regarding recreational facilities and ammenities, which is an issue when considering that the city will only keep growing and residents will be even more underserved. An intervention through a major recreational facility can act as a representation of Austin’s progressive nature, and it can begin to alleviate the underserving of the growing population, while also acting as a catalyst for additional recreational facilities throughout the region. When thinking of a project of this scale, it is obvious that it will be in use for many decades in the future. This prolonged future use is crucial for the community as a whole as recreation centers provide not only the benefits of physical activity, but they also provide a place for people to gather and build a stronger sense of community with other residents. Recreation centers, along with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, also provide programs and classes for all ages, with this being especially important for the development of the youth. Ultimately, a project such as this one can place recreation and physical activity at the forefront of a city’s daily life, and it can even inspire other cities to follow in the same steps and create prominent flagship recreational facilities for their community as a whole. | en |
