Stimulate curiosity Imagine walking through a bustling shopping street. Vibrant window displays draw your attention, filled with products that seem to whisper promises. A pair of sleek running shoes suggests adventure; a stylish coat offers confidence for the winter. Even if you’re just passing by, the open, transparent storefronts invite you to pause, dream, and maybe even step inside. How appealing the shopping streets are, how uninviting are our sports facilities. Football fields are surrounded by high fences,. Sportshalls housed in buildings with hardly any windows, giving no hint of the energy or camaraderie inside. Sports facilities are often tucked away in industrial zones, left over spaces or behind thick hedges, out of sight and out of mind. Instead of inviting curiosity, these spaces remain closed off, unapproachable and easy to be overlooked. How did sport, an activity meant to energize and connect, become so invisible? Maybe sport is our best kept secret. What shopping streets teach us Shopping streets are designed to attract and engage. They show not just products, but possibilities. It’s the aspirations that speak to the human desire for betterment and enjoyment. Research shows that visibility plays a crucial role in engagement: when people see something desirable, their brains release dopamine, the “reward” chemical that drives motivation and pleasure. A well-designed shopfront doesn’t just sell items; it builds emotional connections. Unlike shopping streets, where everything is designed to invite participation, sport often hides behind barriers, both physical and psychological. Sport has the same potential to captivate and inspire. A lively football match, a group of energetic volleybal players or an outdoor yoga class in a park can evoke the same curiosity and dopamine-fueled excitement as the shopping street. The difference? You rarely get the chance to see it. Sport is hidden away, fenced off or locked behind doors. To spark the same emotions that make a shopping street irresistible, sport needs to be visible, vibrant and impossible to miss. Do we need to break down the walls literally? Breaking down the walls of sport To make sport as visible and inviting as a shopping street, we must rethink how and where it happens. Across Europe, cities are pioneering new ways to integrate sport into everyday life. Pop-up sports in urban spaces: Playful Streets project Ireland’s Playful Streets initiative temporarily transforms residential streets into spaces for play and physical activity. During designated hours, streets are closed off for traffic, allowing children and families to engage in sports, games and other physical activities right outside their homes. The project, active in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and more, has been praised for its ability to foster community bonds while encouraging participation in physical activities. A 2021 evaluation of the program showed a 35% increase in neighborhood engagement with outdoor play and sports, highlighting the power of bringing movement to people’s doorsteps.