There will be more bounce per ounce at the Blackburn Park Universally Accessible Playspace, thanks to a $30,000 grant from Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC).
Brad Ackerman, City of Salmon Arm supervisor of parks and recreation, says the city received a letter advising of a second grant early in the year.
The first grant, $20,000 awarded in August 2010, was used to create a recycled rubber pour-in-place landing at the preschool play equipment.
The current grant will provide about 35,000 pounds of recycled rubber, the equivalent of about 2,100 tires, that will be poured beneath the school age play equipment.
Ackerman says there are several benefits to the recycled rubber beyond keeping thousands of pounds of material out of landfills: the soft surface is wheelchair-accessible and reduces injuries and eliminates many of the hazards associated with discarded needles or broken glass because they are easy to see.
Pleased with the progression of the all-ages recreation area, Ackerman says he is hoping the second phase will be completed by the middle of August this year – including all play equipment, landscaping, irrigation and perimeter pathways, as well as a new restroom and concession facility.
“We definitely want to thank TSBC, the three local Rotary clubs as well as Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union for their sponsorship,” said Ackerman Friday. “Telus is donating $100 from every activation of a Smart phone between August 2011 to August 2012; up to $75,000 which will be used towards the purchase and installation of outdoor exercise equipment located throughout the park along the trail system.”
Mike Hennessy, TSBC executive director, is proud of the tire stewardship program, the first if not in the world, at least in North America.
As well as keeping 38,000 tires out of the landfill with this latest series of grants to 29 applicants, the not-for-profit organization is returning $556,318 back to communities.
“Rubber is recycled in a way that can be used in the province, unlike electronics which get dis-assembled and munched up,” says Hennessy, referring to other recycling programs in which materials leave the province for processing. “The tire recycling program is, as far as I know, the only one where industry takes responsibility for end-of-life and has grants that encourage communities to use the product.”
Hennessy notes that the proceeds of the program, earned through eco fees, do not go to government, but to collect the tires from around the province and give grants.
“This is a good-news story and we’re proud of it,” he says, noting the program was moved from government to the non-profit organization in 2007.
Ackerman meanwhile is making another grant application, this time in the amount of $400,000 under a provincial community recreation program that would see the completion of Blackburn Park by March 31, 2015.
Completion would include reconstruction of soccer pitch #2, reconstruction of two baseball diamonds, 1.5 kilometres of a multi-use walkway, two beach volleyball courts, a hard surface court for volleyball or street hockey, a picnic shelter and batting cages.
“It will be a great park when it’s completed that will also involve the alignment of Fifth Street SW through the park,” he says, calling community support amazing. “We have allotted space for a future splash park and expansion capabilities to the current skateboard park.”