The Leisure Style of Canadian Rural Recreation Participants

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the leisure styles of rural recreationists in Canada. The study involved a secondary analysis of data from a previous study, with a sample of 248 Canadians, which gathered data on four dimensions of leisure style: time use, leisure setting, leisure activity participation, and leisure motivation (Heintzman & Mannell, 2003). Correlation analyses were conducted on the data to determine if frequency of participation in three rural leisure settings was related to other dimensions of leisure style. The analysis revealed the following: Nonurban Natural Area Visitors were characterized by participation in outdoor, cultural, social, and travel and tourism activities, motivated by stimulus-avoidance motivations, and had a preference for other natural leisure settings in addition to nonurban natural areas; Pastoral/Rural Visitors were characterized by participation in outdoor, cultural, social, hobby, and personal development activities, motivated by intellectual and competence-mastery motivations, and had a preference for nonurban natural areas, cottage or lodge settings, urban and near-urban natural areas, and quiet urban recreation areas in addition to pastoral/rural areas; Cottage and Lodge Setting Visitors were characterized by participation in outdoor, cultural, social, sports, and travel and tourism activities, motivated by competence-mastery and social motivations, and had a preference for pastoral/rural areas in addition to cottage and lodge settings. Keywords: rural recreation, leisure style, natural areas, pastoral areas, cottages