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In Miami Gardens, Florida in the U.S., you won’t have to worry about bringing a ball to play on a community court – the equipment will already be there. And you can access it with just a simple app.
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, Equip Sport and the City of Miami Gardens have launched a new partnership to bring free sports and recreation equipment directly into parks and community spaces across the city.
Through the initiative, 30 Equip Sport equipment lockers will be installed throughout the city, giving residents access to items such as footballs, basketballs, pickleball paddles and more at no cost through the Equip app. Each station will include up to three lockers, making it easier for families and residents to play without needing to bring or buy equipment in advance.
Home to more than 110,000 residents, the city is also part of the South Florida region preparing to host FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. For a community already investing in safe, inclusive parks and recreation opportunities, the lockers offer a simple way to make everyday play easier to access.
The launch marks Equip Sport’s first U.S. deployment, following its work across Europe and Canada. The company describes its app-connected model as a way to give residents free access to sports equipment through smart stations, with 500 stations across Europe, 350,000 active players and 1 million hours of sport recorded through the platform. In Canada, cities including Vancouver and Ottawa have introduced Equip lockers in local parks, and Mississauga announced a no-cost pilot this month that will install 30 sports equipment lockers across city parks.
The Miami Gardens lockers will remain in place for three years, offering a longer-term resource for residents and helping turn neighborhood parks into more accessible spaces for movement, connection and spontaneous play.
It also speaks to a common barrier in youth and community sport: cost. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that, for families in low-income communities, the cost of physical activity, including enrollment fees and sports equipment, can limit the number of kids participating in sports. By placing shared equipment directly in parks, the initiative helps remove one of the small but meaningful barriers that can keep people from joining in.
“This partnership is about more than sports equipment; it’s about access, opportunity, and investing in our community,” said Mayor Rodney Harris. “We are excited to be the first city in the nation to launch this initiative, and we are proud to remove barriers that may prevent children and families from participating in sports and recreational activities on our parks.”
Rick Jordan, Vice President of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation, also pointed to the power of meeting people where they already are. “Partnering with Equip and the City of Miami Gardens to bring this model to the U.S. for the first time is an exciting step toward opening up more opportunities for sport in everyday spaces,” he said.
As cities look for ways to increase participation in parks and recreation, this initiative offers one example of how reducing practical barriers can help make community spaces more active and accessible.
To learn more about Equip Sports, and to find a locker in your area, visit https://equip.sport.
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