Odense Municipality and HallMonitor

Targeted initiative to relieve a pressured sports sector in Odense

Odense Municipality is under significant pressure regarding sports facilities. With data from HallMonitor, the Department for City and Culture has developed several initiatives to secure more hall time for citizens.

For several years, associations in Odense Municipality have pointed out a lack of available hall time. The municipality has not built new sports facilities for many years. With an average booking rate of 91% and a utilisation rate of 82% during prime time, the pressure is now so massive that political action is required.

Even though the construction of a new sports hall in central Odense is underway, the facilities will remain heavily burdened in the coming years. A net increase of 1,500–1,600 new residents per year means the municipality is facing a major backlog in hall capacity.

The consequence is that many associations have training sessions spread across multiple halls, both within Odense Municipality and in neighbouring municipalities. Associations struggle to admit new members and, as a result, to recruit new volunteers, while new associations find it difficult to be considered in the allocation of hall time.

A game changer

In 2020, the Department for City and Culture installed HallMonitor in all halls to monitor the utilisation of capacity. As part of the 2022 budget agreement, it was decided that the department would present the results of the capacity analysis to the City and Culture Committee.

The analysis showed a clear picture: The facilities are fully booked Monday to Thursday from 4 PM to 9 PM – exactly during the hours that should be available for children and youth.

According to Rasmus Vestergaard Tander, Leisure Consultant in the Leisure and Non-formal Education Department, HallMonitor is a valuable tool for uncovering whether there is a real need to prioritise hall capacity in the municipal budget.

“The leisure sector is traditionally driven by very little data and a lot of gut feeling. So it’s a game changer that we now have raw data to present to our politicians. We can actually verify how much pressure there is on our facilities, and that the demand for more hall time is not just based on guesswork or associations wanting proximity to a hall.”

Associations take responsibility

Odense Municipality now requires associations to only book the times they intend to use. This has had a positive effect, as everyone agrees it is frustrating when halls stand empty during prime time because some associations fail to show up.

“We’ve seen a clear improvement in associations showing up at the times they’ve booked. They’re aware that we receive feedback on whether the halls are being used. They also know that if they repeatedly don’t show up while also requesting more facilities, it sends the wrong signal – and there’s a real risk that the time will be given to someone else.”

91% of times were booked – but only 82% were actually used

The HallMonitor analysis was used directly in the political decision-making process

Associations now take responsibility for using the times they book

Political support was achieved and DKK 10 million allocated to a new loan guarantee model

“It’s a game changer that we now have raw data to present to our politicians. We can actually verify how much pressure there is on our facilities, and that the demand for more hall time is not just based on guesswork or associations wanting proximity to a hall.”

— Rasmus Vestergaard Tander, Leisure Consultant, Odense Municipality

Model for municipal loan guarantees

As it is clear that hall capacity is under pressure, the Department for City and Culture has now presented a model for municipal loan guarantees for associations.

In the 2023–2026 budget agreement, DKK 10 million was allocated in 2025. Associations will be able to take out loans to build their own facilities without further burdening the municipality’s operational budget. The idea is that associations will operate the facilities themselves and repay the loans into a closed system. In this way, the fund can be loaned out multiple times and help drive development.

“We’ve long struggled to get started with the loan guarantee, because we lacked a data basis to document the need. Now, no one can deny the need. We can simply open HallMonitor and show the bookings across the board.”

Several associations in Odense already have significant savings and have expressed interest in the model – including a handball club and an association in a suburb outside Odense that has seen such a large influx of residents that local leisure offerings can’t keep up.

“We know that once a project is politically endorsed with actual funding, it becomes much more attractive to foundations.”

Revision of allocation principles

The HallMonitor analysis has also led the Department for City and Culture to examine the need to revise allocation principles.

“One thing that has become clear is that new grassroots movements are unable to get hall time, because we’ve traditionally allocated it to those who had it the previous year – as long as they used it. We’re now starting to look at whether the principles are fair.”

The department is also reviewing which sports are entitled to hall time.

“Should football have hall time, or can they stay outdoors year-round on artificial pitches? Which sports truly need large halls, and which can be moved to gymnasiums? The prioritisation puzzle for optimal capacity use is something we’ve now started to solve.”

Optimal use of resources across municipalities

Regarding capacity, Rasmus Vestergaard Tander also expects that Odense will initiate cooperation with neighbouring municipalities to optimise resources across borders – also from a sustainability perspective.

“We have several associations that use halls in other municipalities because we’re so heavily burdened. That’s why we also have to ask: is it fair if we or some of the associations build a new hall just five kilometres from a municipal border? We have an obligation to consider whether the hall currently in use might be at risk of closure if it relies on users from Odense Municipality. Building sports halls is expensive, so it has to make sense and be defensible. And of course, there’s the environmental impact – construction emits a lot of CO₂.”

Close to urban development in Odense

According to Rasmus Vestergaard Tander, HallMonitor has not only initiated new thoughts on hall allocation and loan models. The analysis tool is also the main reason why the Department for City and Culture will now be more closely involved in decisions about urban development in Odense Municipality. The department is in close dialogue with the working groups for the municipal plan, the urban development strategy, and the urban life strategy.

“One thing we’re looking at is that when we densify cities, we must ensure that residents can still live full lives in those areas. The worst-case scenario is something like Ørestad in Copenhagen, which doesn’t meet people’s need to live and spend time in their local environment. That’s the fear – that the same could happen at the inner harbour in Odense.”

About Odense Municipality

Odense Municipality is one of Denmark’s largest municipalities with over 200,000 residents. The Department for City and Culture is responsible for both the operation and development of sports facilities and works strategically to ensure the best possible access for associations and citizens. The municipality actively uses data in management – for political decisions, cooperation with associations, and prioritising future investments.