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Meghan and Andrew Moore sit on a play structure with their two children at the St. James Park playground in Toronto on July 27. Andrew is the founder of ‘Danforth Dad,’ which rates playgrounds in the city.Galit Rodan/The Globe and Mail
The organizers: Andrew Moore and family
The pitch: Raising $10,000
The cause: Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Andrew Moore was standing in a Toronto playground seven years ago, watching his son climb, when he had an idea that led to a city-wide deep dive.
“I just had this passing thought of, ‘Wouldn’t it be neat if somebody rated all of Toronto’s playgrounds,’” he recalled.
When he found out that no one had taken up the task, Mr. Moore started visiting dozens of playgrounds across the city and pulling together a database of his assessments. That led to the launch of ‘Danforth Dad,’ a website dedicated to discussions, suggestions and ratings for almost everything related to play structures. Mr. Moore says he has rated about 270 playgrounds so far, and he also offers comments on skate parks and city hiking trails.
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He and his family now plan to take their cause across Canada.
Mr. Moore along with his wife Meghan and their son and daughter, ages 11 and 8, are driving across the country to celebrate playgrounds and raise money. They’ve been saving up for years and Mr. Moore has taken a sabbatical from his work as a teacher. “My kids are getting towards the end of that peak playground years of their lives, and so it kind of seemed like we need to go beyond our own area code,” he said.
They’re planning two trips visiting playgrounds funded through Jumpstart, Canadian Tire’s charitable arm. The first is an eastern swing from Aug. 15-23, through Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, the Bay of Fundy and Prince Edward Island. The second trip is from Sept. 16 to Oct. 3 and the Moores will travel from Toronto to Vancouver and to Whitehorse.
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They hope to bring greater public awareness to the importance of playgrounds and raise $10,000 for Jumpstart – one dollar for each kilometre they travel. The charity supports a variety of sports and recreational activities for children. Mr. Moore has been especially impressed with Jumpstart’s focus on building accessible play spaces and focusing on gender equality through sport. “I just love what they do,” he said.
Mr. Moore said that launching Danforth Dad has made him a better parent and a more engaged citizen. “This trip, in a way, is about taking that immense gratitude that I feel for living in a city like Toronto, but also for all these people that have helped me find things to do with my kids, and then point that gratitude towards a good cause.”