Rotterdam is not just building ramps and rails, it’s building relationships. Over the past several years, the Dutch city has emerged as a frontrunner in the integration of urban sports into the fabric of its public policy, urban planning and community culture. Drawing inspiration from cities like Bordeaux and Copenhagen, Rotterdam has carved out a path that fuses movement, music and mindset. Where street culture is no longer something only to be accommodated, but something to be celebrated.
What sets Rotterdam apart is not just the breadth of its urban sports offering or the number of young people filling its skateparks and parkour setups. It’s the depth of its vision. From 2018 onward, the municipality recognized that urban sports were more than just a hobby. They were a lifestyle with their own rhythms, rituals and routes through the city. In response, it crafted a dedicated urban sports policy, now supported by an annual € 330.000,- subsidy budget amongst others and integrated into its 2021–2026 coalition agreement.
The city’s commitment goes beyond infrastructure. Rotterdam asked the essential question: Are we doing the right thing for our urban athletes? And when the answer wasn't clear, they didn't guess: they asked. Through interviews, questionnaires, street conversations and digital engagement, the voices of skaters, freestylers, ballers and BMX riders were placed at the center of the city’s agenda. The result: a detailed four-year action plan with 32 concrete measures grounded in real experiences and community-led insight.
But Rotterdam’s story hasn’t been without friction. The case of Museum Park, where a well-intentioned redesign ended up sidelining urban athletes, served as a wake-up call. It exposed how even a city with good intentions could misstep when participation is an afterthought. In response, Rotterdam didn’t retreat; it recalibrated. That moment became a catalyst for participatory policymaking, emphasizing the importance of co-creating the city, not just delivering it.
Today, the city relies on “connectors”, individuals who bridge the gap between bureaucracies and blacktops, between policymakers and practitioners. These connectors ensure that urban sport isn’t just something decided in office towers, but something shaped in conversation with the communities who live it every day.
“Rotterdam isn’t content with just keeping pace. It aims to set the pace.”
The result is a city where urban sport is no longer a fringe interest. It’s mainstream. Urban sports consistently rank in the top five activities across all age groups in Rotterdam. Whether it’s outdoor courts in the Mandela Park, indoor creative hubs like Skateland or street-level art courts, the city is a living playground. What’s more, these spaces serve not just as places to move, but places to meet, mentor and mobilize.
Crucially, Rotterdam’s approach is multidisciplinary. Sports and culture are no longer housed in separate silos. They are interwoven in policy and practice. This collaborative spirit gives rise to events like the Rotterdam Street Culture Week and paves the way for the upcoming Skateboard Master Plan, which will be designed with the skate community, not just for it.
The city’s dedication to participatory design is not just about fairness, it’s about functionality. When those who use a space help design it, the result is better, more inclusive and more vibrant for everyone. And as other cities struggle with fragmentation in their urban sports strategies, where responsibility is divided or deprioritized, Rotterdam has built a focused, multidisciplinary team to steer the ship with purpose and precision.
Looking ahead, Rotterdam isn’t content with just keeping pace. It aims to set the pace. With its commitment to community-led planning, cross-sector collaboration and a deep respect for street culture, the city is crafting a model that others are starting to study and emulate.
Urban sport in Rotterdam is not an add-on. It’s not a pet project or an afterthought. It’s a philosophy of participation, an ethos that says the city belongs to those who move through it, who shape it, who make it come alive.
Johan van Herpen policy advisor @ City of Rotterdam