City partners with Equip Sport to bring free sports equipment to Mississauga parks

The City of Mississauga is partnering with Equip Sport to install 30 sports equipment lockers in parks across Mississauga. Through this no-cost pilot program, residents will now be able to borrow free sports equipment, including items like basketballs and soccer balls, to make it easier to enjoy the sports amenities in local City parks. The program supports health, inclusion and accessibility by helping reduce cost and equipment barriers for recreation and play.

The program is supported through funding from Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart), a national charity focused on helping kids and youth access sport and play. In partnership with Equip Sport and local municipalities, Jumpstart is helping expand access to free sports equipment in public spaces across Canada. Mississauga joins a growing number of municipalities exploring the model to make sport and recreation more accessible close to home.

Select pilot park locations in Mississauga

To support equitable access, the City has selected locker locations to serve a wide range of communities and park users. Site selection considered accessibility and connectivity (including nearby transit and pedestrian routes), proximity to park amenities and opportunities to place lockers in higher-use areas where residents naturally gather to play. Units are designed to be easily relocated as needed to respond to changing park conditions or use. No additional costs for construction or adjustments to existing infrastructure are required.

Using the app and borrowing equipment

Residents access lockers through the Equip Sport mobile app. The app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and is compatible with iPhone and Android devices. Users must be 16 years old or older to access and return equipment. To set up an account, users provide basic information such their name and contact details (i.e. phone number and email address). There is no fee to download or use the app.

Users can report issues directly through the app. All theft, damage and repair costs are assumed by Equip Sport. If equipment is not returned, the email address associated with the session will no longer have access to the Equip Sport lockers.

Equipment is provided by Equip Sport sponsors and may include basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, discs and select fitness equipment. Available equipment will vary by location and is based on the amenities at each park.

The 12-month pilot program

The 12-month program will serve as a pilot and evaluation period to help guide future expansion, relocations or improvements based on community use. Equip Sport co-ordinates maintenance, equipment replacement and any required relocation through its local vendor.

The lockers will be installed at the following locations:

• Applewood Heights (A & B)
• Lake Aquitaine Park
• Century City Park basketball
• Courtneypark Athletic Fields basketball
• Daniels Community Field
• Erin Meadows basketball
• Erin Meadows soccer
• Fairwinds Park
• Forestview Park
• Four Winds Hollow Park
• Garnetwood Park pickleball
• Gulleden Park basketball
• Gulleden Park pickleball
• Huron Park
• Iceland Teaching Garden basketball
• Lakefront Promenade volleyball
• Malton Village Park
• McKechnie Woods
• Mississauga Valley Park soccer
• Mississauga Valley Park volleyball
• Mississauga-Meadowvale Rotary Park
• Paul Coffey Park
• Pheasant Run Park
• Red Oaks Park
• Sgt. David Yakichuk Park
• Spruce Park
• Tobias Mason Park
• Union Park
• Woodland Park

Find a City park near you and learn more about how to borrow sports equipment in parks.

Quotes

“Providing equitable access to sports equipment at our parks makes it easier for people to get outside, get moving and enjoy our green spaces. With programs like Equip Sport, we can remove barriers and help more residents stay active and participate in recreation that is close to home. We’re hopeful the pilot is a success in the parks where lockers are installed, so we can look at expanding it in the future.”– Raj Sheth, Commissioner, Community Services

“We’re excited to join other Canadian municipalities taking part in this program. Whether it’s kicking a soccer ball around with friends at a local field, playing a 3-on-3 basketball game with neighbours near home or getting a group together for volleyball, this program helps connect people to the equipment they need to be active. It supports our goals for inclusion and accessibility by helping reduce the cost barrier to equipment.” – Nadia Paladino, Director, Parks, Forestry & Environment

About Equip Sport

Equip Sport, founded in 2021, is a Swiss-founded company whose mission is to reduce barriers to physical activity by enabling shared, on-demand access to sports equipment in public spaces. Equipment is housed in secure lockers that are unlocked by users through a free mobile app and returned after use so others can borrow it. The program is powered by and managed through local partners.

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Tags

• Parks and Forestry
• Recreation and Sports