Evaluation of Community Recreational Sports Activities at the Jambi City Governor's Office: Improving Quality and Participation

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INTRODUCTION
In this era of globalization, recreational sports activities have become an important focus in the thinking of countries around the world.Not only as a means to maintain physical and mental health, but also as an effort to strengthen community unity and integrity [1], [2].This view is not only relevant in the global context, but also within the regional framework of the Association of South East Asian Nations and at the domestic level in Indonesia [3], [4].Recreation as an integral part of tourism activities has become the main focus, especially when discussing affordable tourist destinations [5]- [7].
One form of recreational sport that is a favorite is located in the city center.The existence of recreational facilities in the city center not only enriches the tourism offer, but also provides an affordable alternative for the  ISSN: 2722-1326 Ind. Jou.Edu.Rsc, Vol. 5, No. 2, April 2024: 63 -68 64 community [8]- [10].Recreation is not just a fun activity, but is also part of tourism activities which is a special attraction for tourists [11]- [13].In big cities, there are various types of recreational sports that are cheap and accessible to the general public.A cheap tourist destination that is often used as a destination is the city center, where there are various sports and recreation facilities that can be enjoyed at an affordable cost [14]- [16].
In Indonesia, especially in Jambi City, the city center is the people's main choice as a cheap recreation area.One example is the governor's office which is often a recreation destination on Saturdays and Sundays.This phenomenon can be used as a reflection of the reasons behind people's interest in making the city center a cheap and affordable recreation area [17]- [19].Then this phenomenon indicates the important role of public institutions in providing affordable recreational facilities for the community.
Apart from that, the public's perspective on recreational sports activities in the city center of Jambi City is also a concern in this research.How the community views the importance of the existence of sports and recreation facilities in their city, and what factors influence their participation in these activities [20]- [22].Apart from looking from the community's perspective, community perceptions of recreational sports activities in the city center are also an interesting thing to research [23]- [25] .How the public interprets and evaluates the benefits and challenges associated with recreational activities in the city center is an interesting topic for further exploration [26], [27].
In previous research it was found that the recreational and sports capacity provided through the use of individual free time provides opportunities to interact with other people or meet new individuals [28].Based on the results of previous research, recreational sports activities are an opportunity for individuals to interact and exercise to maintain their health and physical fitness.One of the sports activities that often occurs in sports recreation areas is jogging, gymnastics, leisurely walking, cycling, and so on.
This research explores people's perceptions and preferences for the recreational facilities and activities available in city centers, which can provide valuable insights for policy makers in planning the development of better recreational infrastructure.The implications of this research are very important in the context of infrastructure development and public policy in Jambi City.Through a deeper understanding of people's preferences and perceptions of recreational sports activities around the governor's office, the government can take more effective steps to meet people's needs and improve their quality of life.
This research has high urgency because of its relevance to improving the quality of life of the people of Jambi City as well as developing local recreation and tourism infrastructure.With the rapid growth of urbanization and changing lifestyles, it is important for local governments to understand people's preferences and needs regarding recreational sports activities in city centers, especially around the governor's office.This is necessary to produce appropriate and effective policies in developing recreational facilities that can improve community welfare and satisfaction.The main objective of this research is to identify the perceptions, preferences and experiences of the community in participating in recreational sports activities around the Jambi City governor's office.

RESEARCH METHOD
The research method used in this research is a descriptive quantitative approach [29]- [31].This approach aims to collect data that can be measured numerically and describes the characteristics or behavior of the population studied without manipulating variables [32], [33].This research will use a cross-sectional descriptive research design, where data will be collected at a certain point in time from respondents who represent the population studied.
The population of this study are people who live around the Jambi City governor's office.The sample will be selected randomly from the population, with a sufficient number of respondents to represent variations in community characteristics.The instrument used is a structured questionnaire designed to collect data about people's perceptions, preferences and experiences in participating in recreational sports activities in the city center.The questionnaire will consist of closed questions that can be measured numerically.The instrument grid related to people's perceptions, preferences and experiences in participating in recreational sports activities in the city center is presented in table 1 below: Respondents will be asked to complete the questionnaire independently or through an interview, depending on their preference.Data will be collected in strategic locations around the Jambi City governor's office, by arranging a schedule according to respondent availability.The data collected will be analyzed using descriptive statistical methods such as frequency, mean and percentage to describe the characteristics and patterns of the data obtained [34], [35].This analysis will help in understanding people's perceptions and preferences for recreational sports activities in the city center.The results of the data analysis will be evaluated and interpreted to identify key findings and emerging patterns [36], [37].The implications of these findings will be discussed in the context of developing policies and practices related to recreation in urban centers [38], [39].

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Based on the results of data analysis using descriptive statistics assisted by SPSS, the results obtained are presented in table 3 below: Based on the results of the descriptive statistical analysis above, it can be seen that regarding the perceptions, preferences and experiences of the community in participating in recreational sports activities in the center of Jambi city (governorate office) is dominantly in the good category with a percentage of 50% of the community who view that having a place for sports activities This recreation is good and has a positive impact on society.From filling out the questionnaire used by researchers, the recreational sports activities that are most in demand are cycling, jogging/running and gymnastics, respectively.People's preferences in terms of time to participate in recreational sports activities in Jambi city center are on Saturdays and Sundays, namely in the morning and afternoon.From the experience of people who engage in recreational sports activities there, they feel quite satisfied and this recreation area has a good impact on visitors.
Recreational sports activities play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being and quality of life of society.Besides providing physical benefits such as improved fitness and physical health, these activities also offer individuals opportunities to relieve stress, enhance emotional balance, and strengthen social bonds [40], [41].With easy access and facilities tailored to the preferences of the community, recreational sports activities can serve as an effective means of building a healthy and physically active as well as socially active community [42], [43].
Previous research found significant differences in perceived benefits between recreational program areas, with sports clubs reporting the largest averages across all four perceived benefit groups (overall, social, intellectual, fitness).The study also found significant positive correlations between all perceived benefit groups [44].Previous research found significant differences in perceived benefits between recreational program areas, with sports clubs reporting the largest averages across all four perceived benefit groups (overall, social, intellectual, fitness).However, there are differences in preferences and priorities for recreational sports activities as well as participation time between people in Jambi city center and previous research subjects.Therefore, adjusting and adapting recreation programs and facilities according to the needs and preferences of local communities is very important to increase participation and benefits obtained from recreational sports activities as a form of generalization of previous research.
The study also found significant positive correlations between all perceived benefit groups [45].In line with the results of previous research, based on the results of this research, recreation areas as well as places for exercise at affordable costs are very necessary, namely they can provide opportunities for people to do healthy and  ISSN: 2722-1326 Ind. Jou.Edu.Rsc, Vol. 5, No. 2, April 2024: 63 -68 66 refreshing activities at the weekend.The difference is that in previous research, the research subjects were young adults with disabilities.This research focuses on young adults only.
The novelty of the results of this research lies in the focus given to people's perceptions, preferences and experiences regarding recreational sports activities in the city center of Jambi.This research provides a deeper understanding of the factors that influence people's participation in recreational activities, as well as identifying the most popular activities and participation time preferences.The results can provide a valuable basis for policy makers and stakeholders in designing and improving recreational facilities that suit community needs.
The implication of the results of this research is that the government and related parties need to pay attention to the importance of providing recreational facilities that are affordable and in accordance with community needs.By adapting recreation programs and infrastructure to identified preferences and needs, it is hoped that community participation in recreational sports activities can increase, which in turn will provide benefits to the health and well-being of the community as a whole.
Although the results of this study provide valuable insights, there are several limitations that need to be noted.One of them is that the generalization of the results is limited to Jambi city center, so it cannot represent the situation in other places.Additionally, the use of questionnaires as a data collection tool may have shortcomings in capturing the deeper nuances of people's experiences of participating in recreational activities.Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further research with a more holistic methodology to gain a more comprehensive understanding of this topic.

CONCLUSION
The conclusion of this research is that the people of central Jambi City have a positive perception of recreational sports activities in the governor's office area, with the majority of respondents considering it to have a positive impact.Cycling, jogging/running and gymnastics activities are most popular, with main participation on Saturdays and Sundays.The implication is that the government needs to provide recreational facilities that are affordable and suit the needs of the community to improve welfare.Limitations of the study include limited generalizability of results and limitations in capturing nuances of experience through questionnaires.Therefore, further research with a holistic approach is needed.The researcher recommends further research to conduct a deeper investigation into how social and cultural factors influence participation in recreational sports activities.This includes an analysis of cultural norms, stigma, and other factors that may affect the level of participation among individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Table 1 .
Instrument grid related to people's perceptions, preferences and experiences 65 This research questionnaire uses a Likert scale of 4. Then the categories for the instrument grid related to people's perceptions, preferences and experiences in participating in recreational sports activities in the city center are presented in table 2 below: Evaluation of Community Recreational Sports Activities at the Jambi City Governor's… (Muhamad Adha Jufrin)

Table 2 .
Instrument categories related to people's perceptions, preferences and experiences

Table 3 .
Description of public perceptions and preferences for recreational sports activities at the Jambi