More than 6,000 scrap tires will help keep kids safe in a pair of Greater Victoria parks undergoing upgrades this year.
Jubilee Park in North Saanich and Rutledge Park in Saanich are among 10 community projects in the province where 27,920 scrap tires will be put to use, thanks to Tire Stewardship of BC grants.
The environmental not-for-profit group collects and recycles tires for projects such as playground rubber surfacing.
“Rubberized surfacing can be coloured, and is durable and low maintenance, which makes it a desirable choice for running tracks, waterparks, walkways and gathering areas as well as playgrounds,” executive director Rosemary Sutton said.
READ ALSO: Meet Rutley, trashcan-turned-icon of ‘pink elephant park’ in Saanich
Commonly called pink elephant park, the five-acre Rutledge park was last revamped in 2003, with ground broken this summer on the latest upgrades. The revitalization includes modern playground equipment, a new washroom and change room facility, a splash pad and new paved pathways. Rutley, the park’s beloved pink elephant statue, will continue to call the park home following the improvements and will likely find a new spot near the splash pad.
Follow the project at saanich.ca.
Jubilee Park opened in 2016 and this summer North Saanich embarked on its latest upgrades – with rubber surfacing and playground installation expected to finish this fall. Learn more at connectnorthsaanich.ca/jubilee.
READ ALSO: Site work starting this summer on Jubilee Park upgrades in North Saanich
B.C.’s scrap tire program has been recycling tires for more than three decades and is the oldest recycling program in Canada. More than 100 million tires have been recycled since the scrap tire recycling program was established in 1991.
The tire stewardship grant program supports municipalities, registered non-profit community groups or organizations, schools, and First Nations building or upgrading their facilities. To date, it has issued nearly $6 million in community grants for more than 300 projects.