Surrey Introduces Multiple Outdoor Sports Equipment Loaning Depots at No Cost to Users
Surrey, B.C., Introduces Free Sports Equipment Lending Program
In an effort to promote physical activity and make sports more accessible, Surrey, British Columbia, has rolled out the Equip Sport program. This innovative initiative allows residents and visitors to borrow sports equipment for free at dozens of public parks using an app.
The program, which is the first of its kind in North America, is being delivered at no cost to the taxpayer, with funding provided by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. As of now, about 20 of the planned 30 lending stations are already in place at Cloverdale Athletic Park, Tamanawis Park, Bear Creek Park, South Surrey Athletic Park, and other locations.
Equip Sport, a Swiss company, is known for pioneering the concept of lending stations where people can borrow sports equipment freely. The company operates about 400 similar stations across Europe. The equipment available in Surrey includes basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, ping pong paddles and balls, jump ropes, resistance bands, and dumbbells.
To use the program, users need the app on their phone to unlock equipment boxes at public parks. No credit card is required to access the equipment. However, users who fail to return equipment may have their account suspended.
Mayor Brenda Locke stated that some kids who can't afford equipment will benefit from the program, making it an equalizer. Marine James, a visitor from Rossland, expressed hope that the program will spread across the Lower Mainland and into the province.
The Equip Sport program in Surrey aligns with global trends in sport-for-development, where organizations use sport to foster community engagement and development. The notion of free lending stations fits within this sphere by making sport inclusive and accessible without financial barriers.
A full list of parks equipped with the borrowing stations can be found online. Unfortunately, specific founding details and a full strategic roadmap for Equip Sport were not found in the search results. More precise information might be available through direct company sources or local Surrey community development resources.
- The Equip Sport program in Surrey, following its European counterparts, offers sports equipment such as basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, ping pong paddles and balls, jump ropes, resistance bands, and dumbbells for free to the public.
- Unlike sports-betting, where financial stakes are involved, the Equip Sport program serves to remove financial barriers that may prevent people from participating in sports.
- Surrey's Equip Sport program, alongside initiatives in politics, aims to promote physical activity and make sports more accessible to all residents and visitors.
- As more cities learn from Surrey's success, sports-betting enthusiasts may find an alternative interest in this free equipment lending program that fosters community engagement and development, similar to tennis courts or racetracks.
- The Surrey Equip Sport program, from football to golf, transforms public parks into hubs where sports lovers can engage in their preferred activities without the need for personal equipment or financial investment.
