My name is Kristen I am a construction project manager here at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds every day is a little different which I love about being a project manager very focused on client care and making sure that we’re giving excellent communication to our clients as well so working with all departments with design, production and finance to make sure that everything is rolling smoothly and then supporting our install teams once they’re in the field doing the building.
I’m a foreman here at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, I started out doing maintenance at Old Oak Properties in London Ontario, I have over probably a thousand hours I was cutting grass and I was doing the gardens right from then on. Coming over to Bienenstock, I found the reason that keeps me coming every day is the fact that I want kids to be in tune with nature, and enjoy it much as I do.
Hello, My name is Carla Walker and I’m a nature play advisor at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds. I am a mother to two beautiful children and a wife to my wonderful husband. We love camping in our family trailer and cottaging up north near Parry Sound. I grew up in Mississauga but spent every summer at my family cottage. My favourite place to be is on the dock with my family nearby.
I took Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock University focusing on outdoor education. I spent time backpacking in Australia prior to attending Montessori Teachers College in Toronto. For the past 8 years I have been teaching and supervising at a Montessori School in St. Catharines where I was lucky to have taught my own children in their early years.
I’m a 3D modeller working at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds and I’ve been here for two years. I love working in a place where we help kids experience the outdoors in new ways and allow schools and cities to get more kids outside and stimulate their creativity and help them express themselves in a way that they might not be able to do in a closed classroom.
Hello I am Andrew Hamilton and I’ve been at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds for a year and about six months and during high school and out of high school I had some Landscape Maintenance / Construction jobs, then I went abroad for like four years. I went abroad for like four years and so I thought I was done with that whole thing it got out to some of my peers around me that I had done some Landscaping work and of course I was the only guy who had done Landscaping work so they wanted some help and so I got into that kind of design aspect of it.
And I realized I really enjoyed that part of it so when I returned to Canada I applied to landscape design school at Fanshawe College about three months in I realized I had been a designer my entire life and never known.
In this episode of “From Roots We Grow” we talk to Delroy Black, a member of the logistics team. A long-time journeyman, Delroy has found his home at Bienenstock, and we are so happy to have him.
I grew up in Jamaica most of our stuff is all outdoor because of the climate so I used to be involved in sports like cricket and soccer and stuff so after I grew up and become an adult I became a fisherman so I was always on the ocean and on the beach. I get involved wherever I can and I really appreciate what I’m doing, my goal is to help company continue to be successful and I’m a part of that.
Hello, my name is John Wilson I’m the head of construction for Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds and I’ve been here almost five years now.
My day-to-day is managing our numerous install teams and subcontractors that we have on various projects all across North America.
The love of the outdoors has been ingrained in me since I was young and it’s important to me and I need that for my own kids and has really reminded me of the importance of what I had as a kid and I really have to put in a solid effort to make sure that they can appreciate the outdoors and not take it for granted and to see all the benefits that the Nature has to offer.
I’m A.J. Hagarth and I am the supply chain and Logistics coordinator at the great part about my position is that day to day is always a little bit different I mean I am in charge of making sure that all the natural playground components that our customers have purchased gets on that truck and gets to them but that’s not that is nowhere near all I do.
I started here as a as a finisher it really made me feel a good sense of ownership to what I was making producing and sending out.
I feel supported and the teamwork that’s gets derived from that from everybody wanting to help one another is is an incredible feeling like it it’s morale boosting makes you want to get up and come to work every day.
Mark Taylor has worked at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds for two and a half years as an account manager, he is responsible for fostering that relationship. By connecting with customers, developing their connection to the our company and to our natural playgrounds.
The natural playground components are like the things that I was trying to put together as a kid just using my imagination and we are actually creating this stuff for any kind of institution to bring to the children closer to nature.
Andrea is our newest Nature Play Advisor, but lives with the conviction of a seasoned Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds veteran. She lives by the sentiment “let’s just walk there” and it shows. Whether it’s hiking in the woods or talking with educators about getting kids out in nature, her energy and enthusiasm will surely brighten people’s days.
Josh Demkowich is our Fleet and Facilities Manager, and he is the real deal. Family comes first, but honest hard work isn’t far behind. Josh seems to have done it all and is one of those guys that seems to have lived multiple lifetimes based on his vast knowledge and work experience. When Josh isn’t at work, he’s probably hanging out with his family, planning a getaway to the middle of nowhere, or fixing something. It doesn’t matter what it is!
Rock stars and superstars, we’ve got them all. In this video, we feature Tash, our Head of Global Sales extraordinaire. Tash is all about family, which is a big part of why she is so good at what she does. She truly believes in what we do and the importance of early child development – and it shows. I don’t know if it’s possible to watch this episode without a smile on your face.
Chad has been with us for almost seven years, working his way up from to be a Master Carver. It’s amazing watching him take an already beautiful piece of tree, adding his own magical flare, and turning it into a work of art and a piece of natural playground equipment. Chad Chartrand is a rock star during the week, and a rock star during the weekend. With his musical chops on display it’s easy to see how Chad so easily lets that creativity flow.
Adam is a recent addition to the Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds team, but he isn’t new to his craft. Turns out he actually paid attention in shop class, and it spurred a deep passion for woodworking. When he’s not making knick-knacks in his garage, practicing his guitar solos, or enjoying the benefits of Uber Eats, he spends his days outdoors prepping pieces for the natural playground installation team. Attention to detail on his hobby projects upscaled means a high-quality finish to some of our largest components, such as Sideways Trees and Amorphous Logs.
Haleigh Mcleod went to Toronto Metropolitan University for Architecture, but instead of taking buildings to new heights, she is currently focusing on taking natural playground design to new levels. Her design days began at a young age, creating her own playground out of an abandoned play structure. Now that she has the proper tools, guidelines, and a catalogue of amazing components at her fingertips, she can really spread her creative wings…and she doesn’t even have to trespass to do it!
In our first episode of From Roots We Grow we talk to Kyle Ramsden, who is currently the Production Supervisor. Kyle is a seasoned veteran at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds and is an expert in the production of natural playground equipment. He uses his love for nature and the outdoors as motivation for creating beautiful and complex components for children to interact with and enjoy. If you give Kyle space to play, the possibilities for play structures are endless.
