Cape Town - A warning to all couch potatoes: the City of Cape Town plans to encourage you to lift more than just your TV remote control by introducing several recreational activities geared toward making you more active.
This is according to the city’s new draft policy that plans to encourage locals to participate in sports and recreational activities.
The city commissioned research in 2010 to investigate participation levels in sport and recreational activities and to identify the barriers to participation.
The findings revealed that a large percentage of Capetonians were physically inactive.
This is supported by national research which suggests that the increasingly inactive lifestyle of residents is leading to an increase in obesity and cardio-vascular diseases.
The study also revealed that most people in Cape Town would prefer to take part in recreational programmes like health and fitness, arts, crafts and games, rather than formal sports such as football and cricket.
The mayoral committee member for community services and special projects, Belinda Walker, said that “in order to steer young people away from anti-social behaviour, we have to provide fun and creative spaces and programmes that appeal to them”.
“We urge residents to please participate by submitting their suggestions and comments when the draft policy opens for public comment.
“This is the only way to make progress possible, together, in this great city we live in.”
Cape Argus