The document provides a summary of leisure and recreation over different time periods, beginning with Ancient Greece, Rome, and Medieval Europe. It then discusses perspectives and activities in pre-confederation North America, post-confederation North America between 1840-1880, and "Young Canada" between 1880-1900. Further sections cover 1900-1920, 1920-1940, and the post-war period. Key points include Aristotle's view of leisure as an ideal, the influence of religion on perceptions of leisure, and the expansion of recreational opportunities and facilities over time.

1. Click through the slides to learn about each time period

2. Ancient Greece
Because of the influence of Ancient Greece on
Western civilization, it is important to
understand how leisure and recreation were
viewed in that society. Most scholars regard
Aristotle to be the “Father of Leisure” due to the
fact that he championed the view that leisure was
an ideal, or, in other words, an end in itself.
Unfortunately, only privileged classes were able
to live this way of life-a lifestyle of freedom for a
few was possible due to the enslavement of many. © (2011). Symposium BM E68. Licensed under
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3. Ancient Rome
Ancient Romans pursued a different kind of leisure,
valuing physical strength and promoting athletic
competition. Social classes were non-existent, and
leisure was seen as a right of citizenship. As the
masses became stratified into classes, the ruling
class participated in creative, cultural activities that
only its members could afford, while the “plebs” did
what they could during their free time with their
limited resources. The ruling classes staged
entertainment for the plebs, built facilities (e.g., The
Colosseum) and proclaimed 175 official holidays,
which became known for increasingly perverse
behaviours and brutality. Many historians believe
that this abuse and Rome’s inability to deal with
mass leisure was a major reason for the downfall of
the Roman Empire. Rome’s difficulties with the use
of leisure time resulted in a dislike for recreation
during the Middle Ages.
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4. Medieval Europe
“Rome, the Empire” became “Rome, the Church”. The
church was eager to separate itself from the hedonistic
way of life practiced by its early oppressors. During the
Dark Ages, the value of work was stressed from the
pulpit, and leisure as an ideal ceased to be promoted.
Pleasurable pursuits were equated with sinfulness,
while self-denial, sacrifice and solemnity became
viewed as righteous. The Protestant Reformation slowly
facilitated a general appreciation of leisure and an
extension of recreational opportunities to the masses.
Leaders of new religious sects often went to extremes to
distance themselves from the Catholic aristocracy by
declaring the importance of work for all, and by
discounting the value of leisure pursuits in general. © (2011). Middle Ages-b.jpg. Licensed under Creative
Commons

5. Pre-confederation North
America (up to mid-1800’s)
Many religious groups fleeing persecution in
Europe brought with them extreme views about
leisure, play, and recreation (i.e., Puritan work
ethic). In addition, leisure was not particularly
prized in colonial times, given the fact that
building a new country left little time to “play”.
However, in the early 1800s, a second wave of
religious reformation swept over North America,
which served to significantly increase public
awareness concerning the benefits of leisure and
recreation. There was a Recreation Renaissance; in
other words, a renewed interest in recreation came
about.
It is important to realize that neither life nor
leisure in Canada began with European
settlement, and that Canada’s aboriginal people
contributed much to the development of leisure in
this country.
© (2011.) Puritan Hearthstone.png. Licensed under
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They regularly participated in hunting,
fishing, playing games, singing songs,
dancing, and telling stories. Some of these
leisure pursuits have endured to this day,
such as Canada’s national sport, lacrosse,
which is a modern version of an ancient
game played by the Algonquin and Iroquois
nations long before the days of European
settlement, called “baggataway”.

6. Post-confederation North America
(1840 -1880)
Between 1840 and 1880, community resources, structures, and
values underwent significant changes. The role of the church
in directing leisure activities was challenged, and the Puritan
notion that recreation was sinful began to erode. The
importance and value of physical fitness and social recreation
became increasingly recognized. In addition, rural migration
to cities resulted in an increased demand for leisure
opportunities, as workers sought substitutes for the recreation
they had previously enjoyed as part of their rural lifestyles. In
these early years of Canada’s history, the commercial sector
responded to the need for recreation services (beer gardens,
bars, dance halls, amusement parks and stage shows).
This same time period also witnessed changing attitudes of
men towards women. Certain activities became “acceptable”
public recreational pursuits for women (e.g., croquet, lawn
tennis, golf and ice skating). Last, but not least, improved
transportation in Canada (railroad) led to recreational travel
and the discovery of some scenic natural areas that have since
become our national parks.
© (2011). Georges Seurat 019.jpg. Licensed under
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Better transportation in this
country also resulted in more
traveling entertainment
(circuses, theatre companies)
and increased distribution of
books, foods, and sporting
equipment.

7. Young Canada (1880 - 1900)
This time period saw increased government involvement
in recreation development. This was particularly evident
in the establishment of numerous municipal park
authorities in towns across North America prior to the
turn of the century. City bylaws, however, often legislated
that parks were to be quiet and serene places. As such, the
playing of games was often prohibited, and it was mostly
the upper class that ended up enjoying the benefits of the
parks. In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railroad established
Rocky Mountain Park (now known as Banff National
Park).
During the late 1880s, there was increasing interest in
public recreation programming. The most significant
event related to recreation programming around the turn
of the century was the formation of the National Council
of Women, an organization that brought forward youth-
related issues. This raised public awareness about the
potentially positive effects that recreation might have on
young people, and in time, led to the Playground
Movement.
© (2011). Three women fishing.jpg. Licensed under
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8. (1900 - 1920)
Some significant recreation-related events that took place
in the first decades of the 1900s included the increasing
popularity of Boys Clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, all
of which provided additional recreation opportunities for
youth. The Lord’s Day Act, which was introduced in 1907,
gave rise to the concept of “weekends.” In addition, one
week’s annual vacation started to become a standard
employment benefit, and the number of statutory
holidays was increasing (seven statutory holidays per year
in most parts of Canada by 1922). These changing work
patterns made available blocks of leisure time that had
previously been unavailable to most. The arrival of
automobiles (especially the Model T Ford in 1908) further
increased the number of recreational opportunities and
introduced new forms of mechanical recreation. Finally,
physical education and athletics became promoted in the
public school system.
© (2007). MayDay1913.jpg. Licensed under Creative
Commons

9. (1920 - 1940)
There were many important social and technological
changes that occurred between the two World Wars. The
voting population expanded to include women, who
exercised their newfound political clout by demanding
more recreational opportunities for children. They also
demanded more equitable treatment as consumers of
public recreation services; discrimination, however,
continued to limit their participation in many recreational
pursuits. Women’s participation in high-profile athletics,
for example, was looked upon with disdain. Other factors
influencing recreation at this time included the
introduction of commercial radio broadcasting, which
began in the 1920s and resulted in the widespread
popularity of “Hockey Night in Canada.” Attending
talking movies and major sporting events also became
recreational pastimes that many could enjoy.
© (2011). By Dolan, Edward F. Licensed under
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10. (1920 - 1940)
With the Great Depression of the 1930s, unemployment increased. One positive outcome of
this event was that the government spent considerable money on job creation programs, many
of which were instrumental in the development of recreation and parks facilities and
programs. Another significant event during this time period was the establishment of the U.S.
Fair Labour Standards Act, which set out the five-day, 40-hour workweek. This piece of
legislation ultimately influenced labour codes in Canada and set the stage for our present
practice of balancing work and non-work time.
Finally, community and provincial government involvement in recreation increased
dramatically between 1920 and 1940. Service clubs became involved in the Playground
Movement, and constructed many neighbourhood playgrounds. The first major involvement
by a provincial government in the area of recreation also occurred with the British Columbia
Ministry of Education establishing classes for recreational and physical education.

11. Post-War Canada
The stress of combat during World War II reinforced the
need for recreation and diversion as a means of
maintaining morale and psychological health. Ensuring
improved fitness levels in the armed forces also became an
issue and led directly to the National Physical Fitness Act,
which the federal government put in place in 1943.
Pitching their tents in foreign lands exposed millions of
enlisted men to the notion of “camping,” a practice that
evolved into a recreational pursuit after the war, as many
sought ways to enjoy Canada’s peaceful environment with
their families. The war also provided opportunities for
travel, especially on the international front, and many
continued to take an interest in overseas holidays long
after the fighting was over.
© (2011). Bundesarchiv, Bild 194-0252-21 / Lachmann, Hans
/ CC-BY-SA. Licensed under Creative Commons

12. Post-War Canada
Today’s number one leisure activity (watching television) became a possibility in the early
1950s. It has been suggested that no single event changed the face of leisure and recreation
so dramatically. The 1950s also saw a huge increase in materialism, much of it connected
with recreation pursuits (cars, boats, sports equipment and labour-saving devices).
Another important development during the 1950s involved the increasingly widespread
acceptance of community centers and community schools, which were actually joint
ventures between municipalities and organized community associations. Often, the town
council would build the recreational facility and then turn over its management and
operation to a community group. This model has endured to this day.

13. (1960 – 1970)
By the 1960s, there was renewed concern over the
physical fitness levels of Canadians and the poor
performance of the country’s athletes in
international competition. This concern gave rise to
the Fitness and Amateur Sport Act in 1961, which
redefined the roles of governments and established
principles for federal and provincial cooperation.
Governments at all levels became involved in
financial assistance programs promoting the
development of recreation, mostly through the
construction of facilities. Also significant is that
during this time period, most provincial
governments established some kind of department
responsible for recreation. Many universities also
began offering recreation education programs
during the 1960s. © (2011). Neils_P_Olson. Licensed under Creative Commons

14. (1970 – 1985)
The energy crisis of 1973 impacted recreation in many ways, as high-energy costs resulted in
empty arenas, poorly maintained parks and greatly reduced pleasure travel. In the latter part of
the 1970s, limited resources and a new “community development” approach to recreation led
many municipal recreation agencies to opt out of direct service provision in favour of assuming
a more facilitative role.
© (2011). Bobsleigh at the 1980 Winter Olympics.jpg. Licensed
under Creative Commons

15. (1970 – 1985)
Perhaps the most significant event of the 1970s with respect to recreation was the creation of
a national, not-for-profit agency called PARTICIPaction, whose purpose was to encourage
Canadians to become more physically active. The campaign resulted in a much higher
percentage of Canadians becoming committed to a physically active lifestyle (from 5% to
37% in ten years). In 1981, this increased level of interest in physical fitness led to one of the
largest and most comprehensive surveys ever done to assess the fitness of the nation
(Canada Fitness Survey). In 1985, the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute was
created to conduct research and disseminate information about the lifestyle practices of
Canadians.
The historical development information presented in this presentation was summarized
from Brayley and Searle (2000) Leisure Services in Canada: An Introduction.