Joint-use agreements are agreements between two or more entities — usually a school and a city or private organization — to share indoor and outdoor spaces like gymnasiums, athletic fields and playgrounds. The concept is simple: share resources to keep costs down and communities healthy.

Too often, children find the gate to their school’s blacktop or basketball court locked after school hours, locking them out of opportunities to be active. Closing off recreational facilities after school leaves many children and families struggling to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines. They may live in an area without a nearby park or be unable to afford exercise equipment or a gym membership.  In underserved communities, schools may serve as the only safe place for residents to recreate. Joint-use agreements provide an opportunity to reduce a person’s need for additional transportation and increase physical activity.

Joint-use makes physical activity easier by providing kids and adults alike with safe, conveniently located and inviting places to exercise and play.

Besides making sense from a health perspective, joint-use agreements make sense financially because they build upon existing community assets.  Sharing existing space is less costly and more efficient than duplicating the same facilities in other parts of the community.