Reclaiming recreation: leveraging a participatory mapping approach for effective recreational PA advocacy

This brief report presents a feminist participatory mapping initiative addressing inequities in recreational physical activity (PA) access within a social housing community in municipality, Canada, with a focus on methodological innovation and advocacy outcomes. Using an intersectional geography lens, the project conceptualized 'recreational PA deserts' as areas where environmental, social, and policy barriers restrict access to health-promoting spaces. Conducted with community-based organization, the initiative combined community move-throughs, sketch mapping, interviews, data scans, and digital cartography to identify barriers and co-create an advocacy story map. Embedded within a broader evaluation of trauma- and violence-informed physical activity programmes, the project emphasized community leadership throughout. Key findings highlighted poor infrastructure, safety concerns, and transportation barriers as major obstacles despite strong community interest in recreational PA. Outcomes included new funding for intergenerational programming and municipal investment in infrastructure. This brief paper contributes to leisure studies by demonstrating how participatory mapping can be used to identify recreational PA barriers and mobilize community-led advocacy for infrastructure and policy change.