Children and families visiting Spud Murphy Park in Abbotsford can now enjoy a safer, accessible playground thanks to a significant resurfacing project supported by the TSBC Community Grant Program. The completed upgrade replaced aging rubber tiles with a pour-in-place rubber surface. This new surface helps create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all users.

Located at 32285 Hillcrest Avenue, the playground had reached a point where its original tile surface was no longer meeting the needs of the community. Over time, the tiles experienced significant wear, including curling edges, gaps, and uneven surfaces.

Replacing an Aging Surface with an Accessible Solution

The City of Abbotsford identified the need for a full surface replacement to maintain the playground’s safety and accessibility. Working with funding support from the TSBC Community Grant Program, the City transitioned the play area to a durable pour-in-place rubber surface designed to provide a seamless, level, and resilient foundation.

According to the City of Abbotsford, the project also included the replacement of both swing sets and the addition of an accessible swing seat, further enhancing opportunities for inclusive play.

Unlike tiles, a pour-in-place recycled rubber surface eliminates many of the common hazards caused by shifting or deteriorating materials. The continuous surface reduces tripping risks, improves mobility throughout the playground, and provides consistent impact absorption for children at play.

Giving New Life to Recycled Tires

One of the most significant outcomes of the project is its environmental impact. The new playground surface incorporated material derived from approximately 1,497 recycled BC tires, demonstrating how end-of-life tires can be transformed into valuable community infrastructure.

Through the tire recycling program in BC, recycled tire products continue to find meaningful applications across BC. Projects like the Spud Murphy Park playground showcase a way recycled tire products can enhance public spaces while supporting a circular economy within the province.

Related: 35 Years of Tire Recycling in BC: From Waste to Resource

Benefits for the Entire Community

The new surface delivers lasting benefits for a wide range of park users. First and foremost, children can enjoy a safer and more comfortable place to play. At the same time, wheelchair users and individuals with mobility challenges can move throughout the playground more easily. In addition, parents, caregivers, and grandparents benefit from improved access for strollers, wheelchairs, and other mobility devices.

The upgrade also provides practical advantages for municipal operations and maintenance teams. Unlike many traditional playground surfacing options, pour-in-place rubber requires less ongoing upkeep. For example, it does not need to be raked, levelled, or regularly replenished. As a result, staff can spend less time on routine maintenance. The surface also remains cleaner and more consistent over time.

In addition to these operational benefits, the project supports broader community goals around accessibility, inclusion, and public safety.

From End-of-Life Tires to Community Assets

While the TSBC Community Grant Program helps fund projects like the Spud Murphy Park playground, it represents just one part of BC’s tire recycling program. Every year, millions of scrap tires are collected through TSBC’s province-wide stewardship program. These tires are then processed and recycled into valuable new products.

As a result, recycled BC tires are transformed into a wide range of applications. These include playground and athletic surfaces, arena flooring, landscaping mulch, matting, and other recycled rubber products used across the province.

In addition, the TSBC Community Grant Program helps showcase these innovative uses by supporting public projects that use recycled tire products. These projects demonstrate both the environmental and community benefits of tire recycling. More importantly, they give residents an opportunity to see the results firsthand. Through projects like this one, recycled tires are given a new purpose while contributing to safer, more accessible, and more sustainable public spaces.

Related: From Tires to Products: The Circular Economy in Action

Supporting Inclusive Communities Through Tire Recycling

The completion of the Spud Murphy Park playground project highlights how recycled tire products can help communities invest in safer, more accessible public spaces. By transforming discarded tires into high-quality surfacing materials, TSBC is helping municipalities across British Columbia create infrastructure that delivers environmental, social, and economic benefits.

Projects like this demonstrate the lasting value of tire recycling and the positive impact it can have on communities for years to come.

Do you have tires to recycle? Find a tire recycling location in your area by clicking on the image below.