The process of giving meaning to town centres is also becoming more frequent in rural settlements. The initiative for the new, i.e. additional development of existing centres of rural settlements is also the result of the rise in interest of the residents for sports and recreation. It is through sport that small communities often prove themselves outside of their local environment. The most significant element of a multi-purpose sports hall, as a rule not ambitious in design, because it is only an oversized school gym, is the size of the indoor area, which can be used for a variety of activities – from body culture to selling products and cultivating the spirit. As a result, in smaller communities multi-purpose sports halls are, in content, taking on the previous roles of the church, the rural central square and the local inn, all in one. In Slovenia, half the money used to build them comes out of the state budget (school funds), and half are municipal funds or contributions made by the villagers. There are so many people commissioning the building and paying for it that there is rarely an architectural surplus.