• 17% of Kitsilano residents live beneath the poverty line and many families live in small rental apartments without access to a yard

• Two recently developed playgrounds at Bayview Community School provide Kitsilano community with access to safe, public outdoor spaces for daily exercise and stimulation

• 5,483 total BC scrap tires used in the creation of playground surfaces

TSBC community grant program recipient Bayview Community School has completed two elementary school playground projects, which included the installation of playground equipment and poured rubber surfacing at the site. The two playgrounds are open to all members of the public and in total, 5,483 tires were used for the playground surface.

“It’s our strong belief that the benefits of providing these outdoor play spaces at the school will benefit not only current and future children who attend the school, but also families across the Kitsilano community who depend on access to safe public outdoor spaces for daily exercise and stimulation,” said Brie Lunn, Chair, Bayview Parent Advisory Council. “In addition, the school provides space for community groups such as Jericho Kids Club, a provider of before and after school programs and holiday childcare for families across multiple Vancouver schools.”

“Kitsilano is a community seeing continued growth in children and families and these playgrounds will continue to support children who live close by with access to a safe, accessible, and inclusive outdoor play space,” said Rosemary Sutton, Executive Director, Tire Stewardship BC. “The Parent Advisory Council applied for and received a grant for the playground surfacing as a part of our annual Community Grant Program.”

Applications for Tire Stewardship BC’s 2024 Community Grant Program are open until March 5, 2024.

Related: Apply for the TSBC Community Grant Program Now

Bayview Community School has served families in the Kitsilano community since 1914 and is recognized for its strong tradition of parent participation and community involvement. The original building was demolished to make way for a brand new earthquake-safe building which opened in April 2023, enabling the school to continue this legacy, build on its existing history and heritage, and bring new opportunities for children within the school both today and in the future, as well as across the wider community.

Related: Now Accepting Applications for 2024 Community Grant Program

The TSBC community grant program supports municipalities, registered non-profit community groups or organizations, schools, and First Nations and Métis settlements that are building or upgrading their facilities utilizing recycled tire products. To date, TSBC has given out more than $6 million dollars in community grants, funding 340+ projects in over 90 different communities. BC’s scrap tire program has been recycling tires for over 30 years, and it is the oldest recycling program in Canada. Since the scrap tire recycling program was first established in BC in 1991, over 100 million tires have been recycled in the province.

Media Contact: Callandre Peters Cal@somaworks.com 778.980.3632