Partnering with the Canadian Olympic Committee, the new 'CF Play Makers' program aims to inspire more kids to get active and involved in sports, starting with upgraded play spaces to schools across Ontario

TORONTO, July 4, 2024 /CNW/ - Cadillac Fairview and Team Canada are expanding opportunities for play this summer with the launch of "CF Play Makers," an initiative for school-aged children to harness the power of sports and playtime.

In partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), the CF Play Makers program is a commitment to help more kids have the opportunity to experience the health benefits of physical activity and inspire a passion for playtime and sports. As part of this commitment, CF plans to build or refurbish play spaces for kids at schools across Canada, starting in Ontario, to ensure communities can thrive by having the opportunity and space for unstructured play.

"Our long-standing partnership with the COC is rooted in a common goal of transforming communities through the power of sport, and this starts with our youngest generation," said Jason Anderson, SVP, Brand & Marketing, Cadillac Fairview. "Over the past seven years, CF has partnered with the COC to grow and support the Olympic movement in Canada and we believe that play can fuel Canadians of all ages to do their best and be their best."

"We're so happy to work with partners like Cadillac Fairview who share our Olympic values and who really understand our mission to transform Canada through the power of sport," said Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. "Through the Team Canada Impact Agenda we are committed to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more Canadians can play and stay in sport. That's why an initiative like CF Playmakers is so impactful. As we get set to cheer on Team Canada this summer in Paris, it's important to remember that access to play truly is the first step on a young athlete's Olympic journey."

The initiative is fuelled by a growing body of research showing that children and youth in Canada are increasingly inactive. More than 60 per cent of kids aged 5 to 17 in Canada are not meeting national physical activity guidelines, according to recent data from ParticipACTION, a national non-profit that advocates for active living. Instead, kids may be swapping playtime for screentime: more than 70 per cent of children exceed the maximum amount of screentime guidelines of 2 hours daily, according to the data.

Introducing CF 'Play Makers' with Team Canada

Nobody understands the importance of playtime and access to sports like Team Canada athletes. To shine a light on the importance of play, CF has partnered with Damian Warner and Ellie Black, two Team Canada athletes who exemplify the passion behind the power of sport.

"When kids play, we all win," said Damian Warner, a track and field athlete who won gold in decathlon at Tokyo 2020. "For many Team Canada athletes, myself included, playtime as children and teens was formative in our athletic journey. We wouldn't be where we are today without it."

"Every kid in Canada deserves the opportunity to benefit from the power of play," said Ellie Black, an artistic gymnast and three-time Olympian. "The bonds that kids create and the trust and creativity they develop through playtime, whether in sport or otherwise, is invaluable."

Breaking new 'play'-ground

Playgrounds are the heartbeat of communities. Research shows that they are also essential to children's health as spaces for unstructured play, where they learn to bond, foster tolerance, and develop trust and creativity.

That's why Cadillac Fairview is planning to invest more in playtime through the ambitious commitment to develop more play spaces for kids to get active and engaged in sports. Through CF Play Makers, CF will build or refurbish play spaces for kids starting with Don Mills Collegiate Institute, Crescent Town Elementary School and West Glen Junior Public School, with the goal to expand to other provinces.

"Every child in Canada should have access to playtime," said Anderson. "As one of Canada's leading real estate owners, operators and developers, we understand what it means to build iconic structures that reflect our communities and bring people together, and that includes spaces for kids."

Join Team Canada at CF Toronto Eaton Centre

To raise awareness of the importance of play, CF and the COC are launching an engaging activation at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, transforming Centre Court into a giant play space to encourage adults and parents to bring back play into their lives and the lives of our youth.  Starting today, families across the GTA are invited to come out and play on a new pop-up slide at the shopping centre. The slide will be operating starting on July 4 until July 26, free of charge for both kids and adults.

• Date: Thursday, July 4, 2024
• Time: Open during shopping centre hours
• Location: CF Toronto Eaton Centre, level three near Lululemon

For more information, please visit cfplaymakers.ca.

About Cadillac Fairview

Cadillac Fairview (CF) is one of the largest owners, operators, investors and developers of best-in-class office, retail, multi-family residential, industrial and mixed-use properties in North America.

Wholly owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, with assets under management of more than $30 billion, CF manages over 36 million square feet of leasable space at 69 landmark properties across Canada, including Toronto-Dominion Centre, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Tour Deloitte, CF Carrefour Laval, CF Chinook Centre and CF Pacific Centre.

Driven by its purpose of Transforming Communities for a Vibrant Tomorrow, CF is continually striving to make a positive impact in communities where it operates by promoting social connection, growth, and a sustainable future. Visit cadillacfairview.com for more information.

SOURCE Cadillac Fairview