Open Ice hockey program helps overcome financial obstacles for kids wanting to play the game

By JESSICA SHACKLETON

With hockey season in full swing, Grade 10 Upper Canada College student Andrew Adair created Open Ice to make the sport accessible to more young people.

The initiative started as a school assignment, but quickly turned into a real-life operation that runs out of East Toronto’s Ted Reeve Community Arena.

Open Ice’s mission is about access, development, and community. Hockey is a pricey sport, and many families face barriers in participation. The initiative’s goal is to provide free hockey experiences to children so that cost is not an obstacle to playing the game. 

“​​I am fortunate that my family was able to support my involvement in the sport, but through research and direct community engagement, I became aware that many families do not have that same access due to financial barriers,” Adair told Beach Metro Community News.

The program is financed through fundraising and sponsorships, and its goal is not just to teach the sport of hockey but to provide a positive and safe introduction to the game.

“Open Ice was created to help address that gap by providing a safe, structured camp experience that introduces children to hockey while also teaching transferable life skills such as teamwork, communication, responsibility, and perseverance,” said Adair.

Over the recent Winter Break, Open Ice hosted a week-long hockey camp at Ted Reeve Arena, provided all the equipment necessary and helped get as many kids on the ice as possible. The impact of the camp was more than 250 hours of programming and $4,500 in equipment value, with zero cost to the families who had kids taking part. 

The program also hosts weekly sessions on Saturdays at Upper Canada College, where many camp participants get started and work towards playing organized minor hockey. 

Another camp will be held over March Break and is in the planning process. Adair’s long-term goal is to establish Open Ice as a recurring, youth-led program that runs multiple times a year. 

“For me, this project is about giving back to my community and making opportunities possible for families who otherwise would not have access to them,” said Adair.

Seeing parents’ reactions to their children’s growing confidence and watching players grow each day was a great experience for Adair. It’s a chance for him to see more people enjoy a sport he loves, he said.

“My favourite thing about hockey is that it teaches lessons that extend far beyond the rink. It requires effort, accountability, teamwork, and resilience, and it creates environments where individuals learn to support one another,” said Adair.

“Hockey gave me confidence, structure, and a sense of belonging and responsibility, and Open Ice is my way of passing those lessons on to others.”

To learn more about Open Ice and how to support the project, please visit https://open-ice.org/