Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
women, the elderly and unemployed face particular constraints which may
affect their ability to engage in leisure and recreational activities which
people do because they want to, for their own sake, for fun, entertainment
or self-improvement, or for goals of their own choosing, but not for
material gain.
(Argyle 1996:33)
SEASONALITY
Patmore (1983) argued that
one of the most unyielding of constraints is that imposed by climate, most
obviously where outdoor activities are concerned. The rhythms of the
seasons affect both the hours of daylight available and the extent to which
temperatures are conducive to participant comfort outdoors.
(Patmore 1983:70)
This is reflected in the seasonality of recreational activity which inevitably leads to peaks
in popular seasons and a lull in less favourable conditions. Patmore (1983) identified a
continuum in recreational activities from those which exhibit a high degree of seasonality
to those with a limited degree of variation in participation by season. The first type,
which is the most seasonal, include outdoor activities (often of an informal nature) which
are weather dependent. The second, an intermediate group, is transitional in the sense that
temperature is not necessarily a deterrent since a degree of discomfort may be
experienced by the more hardened participants (e.g. when walking and playing sport).
The final group is indoor activities which can be formal or informal, and have virtually
no seasonality. In addition, the physical constraints of season, climate and weather inhibit
demand by curtailing the periods of time over which a particular resource can be used for
the activity concerned (Patmore 1983:72), although resource substitution (e.g. using a
human-made ski slope instead of a snowclad one) may assist in some contexts, but often
the human-made resource cannot offer the same degree of excitement or enjoyment.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND ACCESS TO RECREATIONAL
OPPORTUNITY
Argyle (1996) observed that while many studies emphasised lack of money as a barrier to
engaging in recreational activities, Coalter (1993) found that it had little impact on
participation in sports. In fact, Kay and Jackson (1991) also acknowledged that money or
disposable income was a barrier to undertaking activities which were major consumers of
money (drinking and eating socially) whereas it had little impact on sport, which was
comparatively cheap. Bittman (2002) noted in Australia that the results of a Time Use
Survey highlighted that time to participate in leisure was determined by hours of
employment, family responsibilities and gender. The research found that household
income had no significant impact on available leisure time. Income, occupation and
