The playground at Kin Duck Pond in Lake Cowichan, which recently held its grand opening, has received a new rubberized surfacing made from 1,320 recycled scrap tires.
The town’s Kinsmen Club received a $29,578 grant from Tire Stewardship BC last year to go towards the new surfacing for the playground, located on River Road off North Shore Road.
“Kin Duck Pond is a very busy location year-round for residents to gather with friends and family,” said Rosemary Sutton, executive director of TSBC.
“The new cost effective and environmentally friendly rubberized playground surface made from recycled scrap B.C. tires makes the area safe and accessible for all children to play on as it has a soft surface to land on, and the rubber is non-slip.”
Sutton said playground surfaces made from recycled scrap B.C. tires are visually attractive, non-toxic, and durable.
“Due to their semi-porous structure, water can flow through the surface making them low maintenance during all weather conditions and they last for many years,” she said.
“Our TSBC team will continue to review opportunities to partner with organizations like the Kinsmen Club of Lake Cowichan that are making environmentally conscientious decisions regarding their renovations and upgrades and want to incorporate recycled products into their community infrastructure.”
Sutton said the playground upgrade using recycled scrap tires is just one of many projects across British Columbia that TSBC is supporting.
In 2022, TSBC awarded 13 B.C. organizations with community grants to be used for rubber surfacing for playgrounds, walkways, parks and gathering spaces. In total, recycled rubber from 14,928 scrap tires will be used for these 2022 community projects.
Since 2009, TSBC has given out more than $5.8 million in community grants to municipalities, registered non-profit community groups or organizations, schools, and First Nations and Métis settlements.
Grants go towards a variety of projects including rubber surfacing for water parks, fitness areas, and running tracks.