Edmonton 
Edmontonians heading to the park now have a simpler way to play, even without bringing equipment from home.
Credit: City of Edmonton
The City of Edmonton and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities have installed 30 Equip Sports Lockers in more than 20 parks, making Edmonton the first municipality in Alberta to offer free sports equipment lending stations.
Each kiosk carries recreational gear such as basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, frisbees and bocce ball sets. The system is app-based: residents download the free Equip Sport app, find a nearby locker on the map, unlock it digitally, then return the item to its assigned slot when finished. There are no fees or memberships.
The lockers are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and are stocked based on nearby park features. A court-heavy site like Confederation Park, for example, has balls suited for court and field sports, while river valley and open green spaces carry more flexible play items. Other featured locations include Giovanni Caboto Park and Hawrelak Park.
Mayor Andrew Knack said the program reflects Edmonton’s Live Active Strategy by helping remove cost as a barrier to recreation. Stuart McReynolds, chief operating officer of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, said the lockers are meant to make it easier to be active in the places where families and children already gather.
The program is a five-year pilot funded entirely by Jumpstart. Equip owns and operates the modular kiosks, which will run from spring through fall before being removed and stored off-site for winter.
Each locker also has a QR code for reporting damage or maintenance issues. If a locker is badly damaged twice, it will be moved to another approved location.
