Children who are interested in participating in a free neighbourhood hockey league have until Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to submit an expression of interest.
Organized by Free Sport for Growth, the free eight-week introductory season will start on September 13, and will take place on Sunday mornings at the TD Civic Centre.
The program is open to both boys and girls of all skill levels entering Grades 7 and 8, though it should be said that participants are required to already know how to skate.
Players will be divided among four teams based on the neighbourhood they live in, and those who don’t have things like sticks or helmets will be provided with them. If any other equipment is needed, Free Sport for Growth will try to help out with whatever they have in stock.
Ross Enslev, who co-founded Free Sport for Growth with Dave Levac in 2023, said the idea for the league stems from the non-profit’s plans to build an open-air, NHL-sized outdoor ice rink and gymnasium facility at Conklin Park.
Free Sport for Growth is currently leasing the land from the City of Brantford and will soon start its fundraising efforts for the project. Once construction is complete, the organization plans to turn the property over to the City at no cost. In return, Free Sport for Growth has asked for four hours of access each day, seven days a week, to run sports programming.
“Free Sport for Growth will operate 28 hours a week, which will give us the opportunity to start sports leagues,” he said. “And not just hockey either; it’s going to be a multi-surface building, so whatever sport we decide to offer, the communities can come and join year-round, and it will be at no cost.”
That focus on making sports more accessible is already central to Free Sport for Growth’s work. The organization raises money to provide sports equipment and collects and redistributes donated gear to help promote outdoor activities for children.
Thanks to the donations of people and corporations within the community, Enslev said the group has already helped provide equipment to around 3,000 children since its founding.
“About three years ago, I started writing about the sports history of the community. One of the reasons was not only to get some historical perspective on what has happened here, but to also bring back the idea of giving the kids opportunities,” he said. “Now, opportunity starts in your neighbourhood. Obviously, you need equipment to play, but you also need somewhere to play. Sport is now, for most families, beyond their reach financially, and I think we’re missing the opportunity for kids to learn in their communities and develop a lot of the life skills you get through playing at the parks.”
As they work toward bringing the Conklin project to fruition, Enslev wanted to give residents a taste of what a neighbourhood sports program would look like by starting on a smaller scale.
The league will be no contact and that while the idea is just to have fun and give kids the chance to learn new skills, both in sport and in life, the games will naturally progress as they spend more time on the ice.
In the future once the Conklin facility is up and running, the neighbourhood hockey league will grow with it, but in the meantime, this new initiative is designed to get back into the community and show people that neighbourhood sports are making a comeback
“I think if we get as much of the community behind this idea, it’s to help improve the lives of a lot of young people,” said Enslev. “I can tell you from my own perspective, I know what being able to play in the community did for people of my age group; I mean, we were in the parks from morning till night just playing at the park. We weren’t always playing sports, but were figuring out some things about life; about falling down and getting back up again.”
For those whose children may be looking to participate, they can submit an expression of interest until September 1. Information will be collected, and facilitators and organizers will reach out to families to assess interest, determine appropriate age divisions, identify equipment needs and plan teams based on neighbourhood participation.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
