Sports and Recreation Access in Hartford

Introduction & Background

In July 2025, the Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) was awarded the Local Data for Equitable Communities grant, an initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in collaboration with the Urban Institute to support local communities in using data to improve local conditions and help residents live their healthiest lives. This grant allows CTData to provide data and insights to address the barriers Hartford families face in accessing quality sports and recreation amenities for their families.  Over the last 20 years, youth and families in Hartford have experienced a disinvestment in local amenities such as fewer recreation centers, shorter pool hours, and fewer affordable program options despite the clear need for physical and social development.  

Youth involvement

CTData staff is partnering with alumni of its Hartford Youth Data Fellowship program who have prior data training and experience, to provide additional skills and research guidance. HYDF alums will engage community members and assess their needs through data collection, analysis, and presentations.  

Partnerships

CTData is supported by the City of Hartford’s newly created Sports and Recreation (S&R) Department and Active City. S&R is a new initiative to expand recreational access for children throughout the city and provides subject matter expertise. Active City is a Hartford non-profit organization dedicated to expanding access to quality, affordable youth sports activities. The partnership will map existing programs, conduct surveys, and facilitate focus groups to learn how existing programs serve youth residents and to identify gaps and barriers. S&R supports the technical assistance necessary to complete a full landscape analysis. This analysis ensures that stakeholders will have the data and information required to make decisions that decrease barriers and increase youth participation in recreational activities.  

Research Questions:

  1. What sports and recreation facilities and programs are currently available in Hartford and where are they located?  

  2. Do Hartford’s existing sports and recreational program offerings and facilities meet the needs of Hartford children and youth? What types of programs are families looking for?  

  3. What barriers limit children and youth’s participation in Hartford’s sports and recreation activities? (e.g., cost, lack of resources, location, time)   

  4. What capital improvements should the City of Hartford prioritize to increase access to sports and recreation for children and youth?  

Process:

Hartford Youth Data Fellow alumni will develop a survey instrument and survey families at different public schools throughout the city to learn about their recreational needs and to identify service barriers. They will also host focus groups at with youth and families in Hartford.  

CTData’s Hartford Data Collaborative, a city data intermediary, will co-lead a Community Data Walk with trained Hartford youth to discuss findings from their survey and focus groups and solicit additional community input. The youth will analyze data and develop data visualizations to showcase the map and quantitative data. The data walks will be held in two different neighborhoods.    

Following the Data Walk, Hartford Youth Data Fellows alums and CTData staff will create a final policy report for the Department of Sports and Recreation and Active City that highlights data findings and additional feedback from the Data Walks. CTData will collaborate with Hartford Decides, a local participatory budgeting non-profit to prioritize the feasibility of projects that arise from this work. 

Community Involvement:

Residents can participate in several focus groups to share their thoughts on sports and recreation access in Hartford.  

Questions about the project? Contact: Kate Eikel; keikel@ctdata.org