Abstract

The present research aimed to investigate the meanings that the inhabitants of the Juan Pablo Segundo populationgive to the practice of physical activity, physical exercise and sport in public spaces as a means of setting up social networks andpromoting citizen participation. For the purposes of this research, the qualitative methodology was used, from aphenomenological perspective. It was worked through in-depth interviews that were applied to typical settlers and emblematiccharacters of the Juan Pablo Segundo population, located in the Concepción commune. These interviews were reasonedthrough content analysis, using the computer tool «Atlas ti 6.0» for data analysis. The results showed that there are multiplefactors, both facilitators and obstacles to the practice of physical activity, physical exercise and sport in public spaces, makingthis practice a condition that allows promoting citizen participation, in turn it is a powerful mechanism that facilitates participation.Favorable interaction between people who share common interests, generating true social networks that ultimately contributeto guaranteeing social cohesion, contributing positively to associative processes, thus promoting citizen participation.