Leisure Planning and Provision

Public recreation providers operate in a condition of relative scarcity. Basing recreation on the needs of persons rather than on opportunity-based participation rates or on the lobbying of interest groups would be a move in the direction of programming for human fulfillment. The program and budget planning for the institution or agency can concentrate on providing opportunities for which public resources are required and that are important in the leisure need-satisfaction of groups identified in the population profile. Some kinds of leisure resources are subject to damage and degradation due to high levels of use. It should be noted that for both adolescents and young mothers leisure needs are to a large extent social. Historically, the dual basis of public provisions in recreation are resource scarcity and equity. For most people, public provisions are a supplement to the more common home and commercial opportunities.