Kayden and Richard learnt about Free Play through Thorncliffe, and since signing Kayden up, Richard has seen Kayden develop through much-needed socialization with his teammates.  

"He is learning more about sports and how to work as a team, which I think he was lacking in previous years.”

Svitlana Ivanchenko came to Edmonton from Ukraine in 2005. 

“I was looking for a good life,” she says. “ And so I left looking for a better place to live.”

Svitlana played lots of sports in Ukraine, and she saw the benefits of sport as a young person. “It did teach me a lot of good things that I could use in the future,” she says.

However, opportunities to play closed off as sports programs began operating on a for-profit basis. Now in Canada, Nika jumped at the chance to sign her daughter Nika, a fourth grader at St. Francis of Assisi, up for Free Play for kids when her school let them know about the program.

Karlene Barnes was concerned that her son Nathaniel wasn’t getting the social interaction that he needed to grow. 

"I find that the neighbourhood here is not so friendly, so to speak,” Karlene explains. “There are kids, but everyone is so isolated, because of the winter as well.”

The Barnes family heard about Free Play for Kids through Nathaniel’s school, Balwin. Karlene was quick to sign him up, thinking it would give him a chance to socialize. One year later, the two of them have given rave reviews for the program.

Piece of mind is a priceless commodity for families. Parents knowing where their kids are at any given moment, even as the adults are out working or running errands can be a massive relief. 

Lizette Katua says as much when talking about Free Play for Kids. Her sons, fifth grader Dino and third grader Michael, learned about Free Play through their school, St. Francis of Assisi.

Raising children today requires money.

For some parents that means working long, thankless hours or taking on demanding trades jobs where a parent has to leave home for weeks on end.

Sometimes, it requires both.

As a lifelong Edmontonian, Margaret Whelen imagines the impact Free Play could have had on her life.

“It would have been amazing if we had something like this when we were kids.”

Lee Cowan personally knows the struggle of a blue collar boom and bust economy.

“About five years ago I had the typical Alberta story, bankruptcy and a family separation.”

As a newly single dad with a demanding career as an electrician in the oilfield, Lee had a difficult task: find time to raise his two boys and provide crucial after school care while simultaneously managing an unforgiving trades work schedule and career transition.

“Home for a week, gone for a bunch, I couldn't do that as a single dad.”

Edston is Talia’s sole legal guardian, taking her in after she lost her father.

Her father had been her sole legal guardian after Talia’s mother had passed away when she was only one and a half years old.

“She had nowhere else to go,” Edston says, “so I stepped up.”