Discovery Channel’s Ziya Tong to help drive awareness of Ontario Tire Stewardship’s Community Renewal Fund

Toronto, ON June 18, 2015 – New, as well as tire-d old playgrounds, fitness tracks, and other shared community spaces will have the opportunity to go green this summer. The Community Renewal Fund, offered by Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS), offers communities up to $50,000 toward building or renewing spaces using sustainable materials made with recycled Ontario tire rubber.

Building on last year’s partnership, long-time supporter of all things green and co-host of Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet, Ziya Tong is once again teaming up with OTS to help spread awareness of the Community Renewal Fund to show how initiatives like this are contributing to a more earth-friendly Ontario.

“I think it’s terrific that these tires, once essentially considered trash and destined for landfill, are being given a whole new life as sustainable products that will benefit entire communities,” says Ziya Tong. “The work OTS is doing in the renewal space is a true win-win – I really hope that all Ontario communities with current or future projects in the hopper check-out the Community Renewal Fund and consider creating greener spaces in their neighborhood.”

The Fund provides eligible Ontario-based communities and non-profit organizations up to $50,000 towards the purchase and installation of Ontario-manufactured recycled rubber products such as rubber mulch, athletic and arena flooring, roof shakes, sidewalk pavers, and playground surfacing.

“We want to help encourage municipalities to rethink the way they approach building or updating community spaces and consider more sustainable options,” says Andrew Horsman, executive director of OTS. “Ontario communities invest considerable resources to support recycling as a way to protect our environment – the Community Renewal Fund is one way we can help communities further benefit from that effort.”

Ontario-based community groups such as municipalities, non-profit community groups or organizations, schools, or First Nations communities can apply to the Community Renewal Fund for their projects. So far 24 projects have been completed in 17 different communities across Ontario.