On the site of the former Delbrook High School, later the old Delbrook Community Centre, a new chapter has taken shape. With support from the TSBC Community Grant Program, a new North Vancouver playground has been upgraded.

The Delbrook Lands Neighbourhood Park at 600 West Queens Road in the District of North Vancouver is a multi-use community space designed to bring people together. At the heart of this transformation is the park’s largest and most dynamic feature: a fully accessible, multi-level playground, with colourful new surfacing made using the rubber from 1,121 BC recycled tires.

A Playground Designed for Everyone

The Delbrook Lands Neighbourhood Park is a brand-new park that was developed to serve the rapidly growing Delbrook Lands area. As part of this development, the playground has been designed as the most expansive play space currently offered by the District.

Thoughtfully laid out along cascading slopes and plateaus, the playground is designed to flow naturally through the surrounding landscape. The experience leads visitors downward, where it concludes at the base of the spray park, creating a seamless connection between play zones.

Along the upper slopes, recycled rubber surfacing has been installed to create smooth, durable, and accessible pathways. As a result, children and caregivers are able to move comfortably throughout the space. These surfaces are intentionally blended with engineered wood fibre, tree planting beds, and stepping stones, ensuring that both function and natural aesthetics are preserved.

1,121 Tires Take New Shape

The recycled rubber surfacing featured throughout the playground was made possible through funding from the TSBC Community Grant Program, which was awarded in 2023. In total, 1,121 recycled BC tires were processed and repurposed into the rubber surface that now supports daily play at Delbrook Lands.

To achieve this, the tires were first collected through BC’s tire recycling program. They were then processed in Delta and converted into recycled crumb rubber. Finally, this material was manufactured into durable playground surfacing, which has been specifically designed to enhance safety, improve accessibility, and support long-term performance in public spaces.

Community Impact That Lasts

The Delbrook Lands playground is more than a recreational space. It represents:

• Environmental responsibility through local tire recycling
• Inclusive and accessible play
• Long-term community benefit

The TSBC Community Grant Program continues to support projects that transform recycled tires into meaningful public infrastructure.

How Tire Recycling Works in BC

In BC, tires are recycled through an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program operated by Tire Stewardship BC. Drivers can leave their old tires at the tire shop for recycling. Old tires can also be returned free of charge to registered Return to Retailer (R2R) locations across the province without making a purchase.

Once collected, tires are:

1. Transported to processors in Delta, BC
2. Shredded and separated into rubber, steel, and fibre
3. Processed into crumb rubber and landscaping mulch
4. Manufactured into new, innovative BC-made products

Those products include playground surfacing, running tracks, walkways, athletic surfaces, mats, and other durable rubber goods used in communities across the province.

By properly returning used tires for recycling, residents help ensure that materials are recovered and reinvested locally, supporting BC jobs, reducing waste, and creating safer public spaces.

Do you have old tires to recycle? Return them free of charge to a registered location near you. Learn more about how tire recycling works in BC, find return locations, and explore products made from BC recycled tires at TSBC.CA.