Matting at Timaru playground part of innovative recycling programme

Timaru’s new $2.98 million playground will be state-of-the-art but there will be a permanent reminder of the old at CPlay.

Work on the project began in March and the rubber matting being laid at the site incorporates recycled material from the playground’s original matting – making CPlay the first in New Zealand to recycle its old rubber waste at a new recycling plant in Ōamaru.

The former rubber tiles at the playground, installed by Numat 28 years ago, were not suitable for the new build, and were shipped to the company’s new rubber recycling plant in Ōamaru to be processed earlier this year.

Numat marketing manager Jon Coursey said about 400m² of the matting was removed from the Timaru playground, and about 2500m² was being put down.

Coursey said the matting from Timaru was the first to be recycled in the plant using equipment installed at the start of the year.

“It’s an exciting project to be part of,’’ he said.

“It’s also a nice link that the matting was originally put down by Numat.’’

Once at the plant it was cleaned, chipped twice into granules, and mixed on site with a quality binding resin to form the base rubber play surface for the playground, he said.

The matting was designed to help cushion falls and reduce injuries. A colourful rubber surface was then laid over the top.

Coursey said the matting was also longer lasting. Previously the company had imported its recycled rubber granules from overseas.

Coursey said while not every piece from the Caroline Bay playground matting could be recycled, “the majority’’ of it would go back onto the new site.

The matting was also able to be recycled again, he said.

“It’s also great to see the surfaces are totally accessible to anyone, and that opens up play.’’

CPlay volunteer Roselyn Fauth said that had been an important part of the planning that had gone into the project.

“Everyone is included – culturally, physically, spiritually,’’ she said.

She said the surface finishings and safety matting had been a big investment in the project, and while she could not say how much it had cost, she did say it was a third of the playground budget, along with earthworks and the play equipment.

Fauth was able to visit the Numat plant with her two daughters to learn how the matting was made.

“At the end of the day, we are working to make better choices for our future generations, so it was really special to share this experience with them,’’ she said.

As well as the environmental positives of recycling the matting, she said it helped CPlay avoid the cost of fees for dumping the matting, and helped the Timaru District Council its annual levy costs to the Government.

Timaru District mayor Nigel Bowen said it was fitting that as the district was the first in New Zealand to implement the three-bin system, it was also “now the first in the country to repurpose CPlay’s former playground rubber and reuse it for CPlay’s new playground’’.

Funding for the project came from a massive fundraising effort and a contribution from the Timaru District Council.

It was originally estimated to cost $2.2m, but in June 2022, the committee behind the project announced this had risen by 15% because of increased costs. This rose to $2.98m in November 2022.

The council would take ownership and be responsible for maintaining the community-led upgrade once the project was complete.