An Oshawa co-op playground designed with ideas from local children has opened at Maple Glen Housing Co-operative after the community went nearly nine years without a dedicated play space.
Nearly 100 Foresters Financial employees joined residents and the non-profit organization KABOOM! to build the new playground at 777 Wilson Road North. The project was completed in one day on September 26 and announced publicly on September 29.
Maple Glen’s previous equipment was removed in 2017 after it deteriorated and was considered unsafe. Children living in the approximately 40-home co-operative had since been without a playground close to home.
Children helped shape the design
Months before construction, Maple Glen children drew pictures and shared ideas about the playground they wanted. Organizers used that input to guide the final design.
Laura Reid, vice-president of Maple Glen Housing Co-operative, said children had frequently told adults there was nowhere nearby to play. She said seeing their drawings become a real place to gather was meaningful for the entire community.
The new play area is expected to directly serve about 50 children who live at Maple Glen. Project organizers estimate that more than 500 children live within a 15-minute walk and could also benefit from the space.
The housing co-operative described the playground as both a recreation facility and a community gathering place where families can connect and children can build friendships.
Volunteer build marks long partnership
The Oshawa project marked 20 years of collaboration between Foresters Financial and KABOOM!, an organization focused on improving children’s access to play spaces. It was the 179th playground supported through their partnership.
Foresters president and chief executive officer Matt Berman said safe and welcoming play spaces can help children build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging. KABOOM! chief executive officer Lysa Ratliff said the design reflects the ideas of the children who will use it.
Foresters employees worked with KABOOM!, Maple Glen residents and local families during the single-day construction effort. The organizations presented the build as a community-led response to the lack of safe play equipment at the housing site.
New space restores neighbourhood play
Maple Glen is a member-run affordable housing community governed by a volunteer board. Along with the playground, it organizes activities such as outdoor movie nights and is planning youth programs focused on confidence and practical skills.
The Oshawa co-op playground restores a dedicated outdoor area that the community had lacked since the old structure was removed. Organizers say its inclusive design is intended to give children and families a welcoming place to play and spend time together.
The project was funded and delivered through the Foresters and KABOOM! partnership with the participation of Maple Glen Housing Co-operative.
The project also coincided with KABOOM!’s 30th anniversary. The non-profit says its work focuses on communities where children have less access to safe, high-quality places to play. At Maple Glen, the co-operative’s member-led structure gave residents and children a direct role in the project, from early drawings through the volunteer build. Organizers said the completed space is intended to support physical activity, social connection and shared neighbourhood use over the long term.
