Sportconference 2005

[img]/images/content/aboutrotterdam.gif[/img]

[b]Rotterdam, European Capital of Sport 2005[/b]
[img=left]/images/content/fotoaboutrotterdam1.jpg[/img] From a national as well as an international perspective Rotterdam is a prominent and striking city. It is the largest seaport in the world and, as such, is brimming over with activity and is developing rapidly into an alluring, multifarious city.
Not only is Rotterdam an international seaport, it is every inch a sports-loving city as well. Its City Council has great sport ambitions.
Therefore, the city has declared 2005 to be 'The Year of Sports.' During the Year of Sports the city council will once again emphasise what sports means for the city and its residents. To this end many sports activities and several sports events will be organised in 2005, combined with culture and amusement. The city will also call attention to its international character by organising world and European championships in baseball, judo, catamaran F18, inter-university football, pentathlon, veterans table tennis, etcetera.
In 2005 Rotterdam will show the world how dear it holds all branches of sport by offering a dazzling and diverse program for people of all ages and all tastes. 
We want to show the world with an outbalanced program of small and big events that we are worthy of this award. It also has to give a boost to the development of the sport infrastructure of Rotterdam.

[img=right]/images/content/fotoaboutrotterdam2.jpg[/img][b]Rotterdam[/b]
With its 600,000 residents, Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands. It includes a regional social service area of over 1 million residents. Rotterdam continues to be one of the largest harbour cities in the world. As a result of immigration, the city's population consists of 160 different nationalities. Most of the immigrants come from such countries as the former Dutch colony of surinam, from Turkey, Morocco and Cape Verde. The city has a relatively young population. This is definitely kept in mind when it comes to urban policy, including that of sports.

[b]Sports for the Public[/b]
The municipal sports accommodations are managed and operated by the Sports and Recreation Service that employs more than 1,200 people. Most of these people work in facilities spread throughout the city. As far as sports are concerned, there are 9 indoor swimming pools, 3 outdoor swimming pools, 200 football fields, 3 athletic tracks, 16 tenniscomplexes, 14 gymnasiums and 85 gymnastics facilities. These sports accommodations are leased to schools, sports clubs, private parties and companies. In addition in recent years the service has overseen the establishment of an indoor professioal sports centre, a pro sports training accommodation for gymnastics, a baseball stadium, a hockey stadium and a training hall for pro tennis. In addition to the public sports facilities there are a range of commercially run sports facilities such as the Ahoy sports palace and three football stadiums.

Click for more information about Rotterdam the following links:
[url=http://www.vvv.rotterdam.nl/uk/]www.vvv.rotterdam.nl[/url]
[url=http://www.rotterdam.nl/smartsite268958.dws?MainMenu=268958&Menu=268958]www.rotterdam.nl[/url]
[url=http://www.rotterdam.com/]www.rotterdam.com[/url]
[url=http://www.senr.rotterdam.nl/]www.senr.rotterdam.nl[/url]

Downloads:
[url=/downloads/2_Nota_Sportstad_eng_190505.pdf]City of Sports[/url]
[url=/downloads/4_Growing_up_in_Rotterdam_eng_240505.pdf]Growing up in Rotterdam[/url]