It’s as “Edmonton” as cold winters, green onion cakes, and the Oilers. If you grew up in Alberta’s capital, chances are you have a memory associated with the Green Shack program.
For Andrea Tarasenko, it was a lesson in physics.
“I learned at the Green Shack program – this was just a random time that I went – that when you fill a bucket with water and you flip it around, the water doesn’t come out,” Tarasenko laughed. “It was just one of those really funny memories that just stuck in my mind.”
READ MORE: Alberta budget means changes to communities’ Green Shack program
For Lily Wong, playing tether ball stands out. For Carla Holowatiuk it was making crafts and painting.
The Green Shack programs’ roots go back to the 1920s when supervised playgrounds were built to encourage families to connect. By 1950, Edmonton had 25 supervised playgrounds.
Now in its 50th year as an official program, Edmonton has 220 Green Shack locations. The program offers kids between six and 12 a place to play games, make crafts, learn and get exercise under the supervision of Green Shack leaders.
In 2015, kids visited 250,000 times.
“I think it helps build community in children,” said Laurel Neudorf, a playground program leader.
“Kids start to see that there are differences but we’re also the same and we can all play and we can all laugh and have fun together. I think that builds social conscience in kids and that’s one of the most valuable things the program does.”
READ MORE: Edmonton’s Green Shack program continues despite budget cuts
The program was on shaky ground in 2013 after provincial funding was cut, but the city and community leagues pooled resources to keep it running with limited hours.
For more information on the program, visit the City of Edmonton’s website.
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