The art of play: Community celebration for new Balwin playground
October 15, 2025
On October 17 at 3:30 PM, the Edmonton Arts Council welcomes the community to celebrate the unveiling of Piney’s Playground in Balwin Park, the 300th public artwork in the City of Edmonton’s Public Art collection. The latest addition to the collection is Edmonton’s first playground designed in collaboration with an artist. Created by local artist AJA Louden, the new playground blends art, play, and community. Inspired by both nature and science fiction, it’s a space to imagine, explore and grow together.
Said the Edmonton Arts Council’s Executive Director, Renée Williams, “This is such a special and unique project — art and play have more in common than one might expect. By encouraging imaginative play, Piney’s Playground will surely inspire young creatives.”
“What if in the future, we grew playgrounds from seeds?”
“There’s so much inspiration in the community of Balwin that I was really excited to translate into public art for the city,” said AJA Louden. “I worked with youth and kids in Balwin who have wild and impressive imaginations, providing me with a rich source of ideas to work with.”
At the heart of the playground is Piney P: a playful pineapple character created by AJA. Piney P proudly stands tall as the protector of the playground. AJA drew inspiration from many sources: a mysterious seed landing on the Prairies, his Jamaican-Canadian roots, and cultural traditions where drumming is central to connection and storytelling. That’s why you’ll find a drumming circle in the playground, inviting kids to drum, play and create rhythm together.
Join us for the 300th public artwork unveiling
Friday, October 17 from 3:30 — 5:30 PM
Piney’s Playground at Balwin Park (12904 74 St NW)
Come try out the new playground and meet the artist, AJA Louden!
The playground opening event will feature performances by Sangea Academy on the drums, local beatmakers Sampler Café, a mobile FitSet Ninja obstacle course, snacks and giveaways.
Fun giveaways include special edition ‘Spooky Piney’ pins and colouring sheets. You can also pick up a free copy of aRtify magazine (or click here to download a copy) to learn more about the story behind Piney’s Playground and read about some of the other incredible artists who call Edmonton home.
Festivities will move indoors to Balwin Community League in the event of inclement weather.
More event information available here.
