Founded by photographer Alexander Meininger, the inspiration came from watching his own children play and reflecting on the impacts of conflict on displaced families.

With 1 in 6 children worldwide being affected by war, and widespread destruction of infrastructure in places like Ukraine, the initiative creates opportunities for play.

In partnership with architects and engineers, Playrise designs timber play structures that can be easily transported, assembled, and customized, with replaceable parts.

Designed through local consultations, communities are ensured cultural relevance and local suitability.

The first Playrise set will be delivered to Aysaita camp in Ethiopia in April 2026.

Children can gain hands-on experience of building that translates to practical life skills.

Playrise has identified a universal truth:

“No matter how different their circumstances, every child wanted to find joy.”

This project aims to support that need.

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/mar/30/playrise-modular-timber-playground-equipment-disaster-zones

Across Canada, municipalities are managing more assets with limited resources. Accurate, up-to-date data is essential for maintenance planning, safety, and long-term infrastructure decisions.

🌐 Why Drone Surveys Are Used

Drone mapping provides a fast, efficient way to capture large areas without disrupting public use. The data is used to create 2D maps and 3D models that support:

• Asset management and planning
• Maintenance prioritization
• Infrastructure condition tracking
• Long-term capital planning

🛡️ Safety and Privacy

We take safety and privacy seriously during all drone operations.

Safety Measures

• Flights are conducted by trained operators
• Pre-planned flight zones are used at all times
• Safe distances are maintained from people and active areas
• Flights may be paused or adjusted if conditions change

Privacy Protection

• The purpose is to document municipal assets—not individuals
• Imagery focuses on parks, fields, trees, and infrastructure
• Data is used strictly for planning and asset management

If you have concerns during the flight, please maintain a safe distance and contact the project representative provided by your municipality.

🏞️ What We Are Assessing

⚽ Sports Field Condition Mapping

Using advanced aerial and multispectral imaging, we assess turf conditions to identify:

• Stress or worn areas
• Drainage or compaction issues
• Uneven growth patterns
• Areas needing maintenance or reseeding

🌳 Urban Tree Inventory Support

Drone imagery helps municipalities map and monitor street trees:

• Tree counts and distribution
• Species identification (when visible)
• General health indicators
• Risk identification for pruning or removal

🌲 Tree Stand & Natural Area Analysis

For forested or natural areas, we generate 3D models to evaluate:

• Canopy structure and density
• Tree height and coverage
• Overall stand condition

🏞️ Park Asset Mapping

We document and inventory park features such as:

• Trees and landscaping
• Playgrounds and sport facilities
• Benches, shelters, and amenities
• Pathways and access points

This helps municipalities improve planning, upgrades, and long-term park development.

🏗️ Infrastructure 3D Modeling

Where applicable, drone imagery is used to create 3D models of municipal buildings and structures to support:

• Asset documentation
• Maintenance planning
• Condition monitoring

📊 Why This Data Matters

Drone surveys help municipalities:

• Make faster, data-driven decisions
• Improve safety and maintenance planning
• Track asset conditions over time
• Optimize budgets and capital investments

📩 Questions About This Survey?

Thank you for your cooperation while this work is being completed.

Municipalities are the closest level of government to the people. Every day, they shape the spaces where Indigenous and non‑ 

Across Canada, Indigenous Peoples continue to face barriers in employment systems that were not designed with their histories, cultures, or lived experiences in mind. Municipal governments, large and small, rural and urban, are uniquely positioned to change that. By strengthening Indigenous representation within their workforce, municipalities not only improve service delivery but also build trust, deepen relationships with local people, and create more culturally grounded and responsive governance. 

But this work doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intention, cultural humility, and a willingness to examine long‑standing hiring practices through a new lens. It means understanding local Indigenous communities, removing systemic barriers in job requirements, building authentic partnerships, and creating workplaces where Indigenous employees feel safe, supported, and valued. 

Where to start? 

We offer guidance for municipalities to move from aspiration to action by guiding them through the development of Indigenous‑informed hiring practices, culturally safe recruitment processes, and long‑ 

This isn’t just about filling positions. It’s about building stronger communities, strengthening relationships with Indigenous partners, and ensuring municipal decisions are shaped by the voices and perspectives that have been missing for far too long. 

If your municipality is ready to take meaningful steps toward reconciliation and workforce inclusion, now is the time to act. Let’s work together to build a municipal workplace where Indigenous employees can thrive, and where your community benefits from the knowledge, leadership, and lived experience they can offer. 

Municipal recreation departments across Canada are facing a familiar challenge: increasing service demands with flat or tightening budgets. Communities expect more programs, better facilities, and inclusive services while funding remains limited.

The good news? Budget pressure doesn’t always require service cuts. With the right structure, recreation teams can unlock new revenue, reduce inefficiencies, and optimize existing resources often within weeks.

Based on real-world experience working with municipal recreation departments, we’ve developed two practical tools designed to help teams take action immediately.

Tool 1: The 90-Day Budget Optimization Action Plan

The 90-Day Budget Optimization Action Plan provides a clear, step-by-step roadmap for stabilizing and improving your department’s financial performance over a three-month period.

This plan helps teams:

• Identify quick revenue opportunities

• Reduce unnecessary operational costs

• Align programming decisions with financial outcomes

• Build internal momentum without increasing workload
  
  

Rather than long-term theory, the focus is on what can be done in the next 30, 60, and 90 days—using resources you already have.

Tool 2: Quick Wins Checklist for Recreation Departments

The Quick Wins Checklist is designed for busy teams that need results fast.

This checklist highlights:

• Low-effort, high-impact revenue ideas

• Cost-saving adjustments that don’t affect service levels

• Operational tweaks commonly overlooked in recreation operations

• Actions that can be implemented immediately or within a single budget cycle
  
  

Many departments find that even a handful of these “quick wins” can generate meaningful financial improvement in a short time.

Why These Tools Work

Both resources are:

• Practical and easy to use

• Designed specifically for recreation and parks departments

• Focused on immediate action not long reports

• Suitable for managers, supervisors, and senior leadership teams
  
  

They can be used independently or together as part of a broader budget optimization strategy.

Download the Free Resources

To support recreation professionals across the sector, both tools are available for free download.

• The 90-Day Budget Optimization Action Plan

• The Quick Wins Checklist for Recreation Departments
  
  

Multispectral Drone Technology for Parks and Sports Field Management

As technology continues to transform municipal operations, drones are becoming essential tools for efficient park and sports field monitoring. One of the most advanced systems used today is the multispectral drone, which provides detailed insights into turf and soil conditions across recreational spaces.

How Multispectral Drones Work

Multispectral drones use specialized sensors to capture light beyond the visible spectrum. By analyzing reflected wavelengths, they can detect subtle changes in vegetation health that are not visible to the human eye.

This allows municipalities and facility managers to monitor:

• Turf health and plant vigor
• Moisture levels and irrigation efficiency
• Stress patterns in grass and vegetation
• Early signs of turf decline or damage

These insights help teams make data-driven decisions around irrigation, aeration, fertilization, and field maintenance.

Environmental and Seasonal Considerations

Drone performance and data accuracy depend heavily on environmental conditions.

For optimal results:

• The sun should be at least 30 degrees above the horizon
• Winter operations are limited due to low light angles
• The effective flying season typically runs from late February/March to late September/October, aligning with active turf growth periods

This seasonal window ensures consistent lighting and high-quality imagery for analysis.

Operational Limits and Performance Range

The Phantom multispectral drone system is designed to operate within specific environmental parameters:

• Camera operating range: 0°C to 40°C
• Battery operating range: -10°C to 40°C

Staying within these limits ensures safe operations, reliable data collection, and optimal sensor performance.

Why Multispectral Drone Data Matters

By capturing precise, repeatable data across sports fields and parks, multispectral drones help municipalities:

• Improve turf health management
• Optimize irrigation and maintenance schedules
• Reduce long-term maintenance costs
• Enhance field safety and playability
• Support data-driven asset management

• Conclusion

  Multispectral drone technology provides powerful insights into turf and vegetation health across parks and sports fields. By understanding environmental limitations and operational requirements, municipalities can use this technology effectively to support healthier landscapes, smarter maintenance strategies, and better community recreation experiences.