A Metrotown park has a new playground built with the help of 2,114 recycled tires.
The City of Burnaby won a grant from non-profit Tire Stewardship BC to replace the Lobley Park’s wood fibre ground cover with durable pour-in-place rubber surfacing made from the tires, according to a press release from the non-profit.
The new surface is cushioned, which reduces the risk of injury from potential falls, and is wheelchair and stroller friendly.
“This is an exciting project for our community – not only are we improving Lobley Park, making it safer and more accessible for all users, we’re also making strides to support our climate action goals by recycling and reusing more than 2,000 tires,” said Mayor Mike Hurley in the release.
Scrap tires in B.C. are collected and repurposed after being broken down at a processing plant in Delta, and the components are circled back into the economy, according to the non-profit.
The rubber is recycled into fine granules and then local manufacturers, like North West Rubber, use the crumb rubber to create products like athletic tracks, playground surfaces, horse mats and more.
The steel extracted from tires is used to create new steel, and the fibre extracted is used as a fuel supplement for cement kilns.
Rosemary Sutton, executive director of Tire Stewardship BC, said the non-profit is excited to see the Lobley Park playground come to life.
“Through our TSBC Community Grant Program, we are working towards revolutionizing playgrounds like this one,” she said in the release, adding Lobley Park is an example of a new standard for inclusivity and accessibility.
“Pour-in-place rubber surfacing is such a desirable surface material for enhancing playgrounds, particularly when the goal is to increase accessibility. If a child is in a wheelchair, pea gravel or other surfaces are incredibly challenging to navigate. Rubber surfacing ensures children and adults of all abilities can participate, and everyone in the community benefits.”
Every year in B.C., more than 5 million scrap car tires are recycled into new products.
Community members can drop off old tires for free at a variety of return-to-retailer locations, and Tire Stewardship BC hosts tire collection events across B.C. every year.
