Kenora Recipient of Kal’s RePlay Fund Grant

The City is grateful to receive financial assistance for a downtown landscaping project this summer.

Receiving $5,000 from Kal’s RePlay Fund to implement improvements to over 120 tree wells throughout the Harbourtown Centre will make impressive enhancements to the downtown.

The landscaping project fills the base of the tree with recycled rubber product to level out the surface and bring it up to grade. The finished product promises to be aesthetically and visually pleasing yet allow the trees to get water and nutrients.

Early in 2021, the City of Kenora submitted an application to Kal’s RePlay Fund with the tree well project in mind, with the support of Kenora’s local KAL Tire dealer, R and T Tire. The funds would help with the City’s overall capital investment of $15,000.

“The rubber tree well surfacing has been a very successful initiative in multiple cities, and with Kal Tire’s assistance, we are going to be able to produce the same results in our home town,” states Shaun Clifford, City of Kenora Park and Facilities Division Lead.

“Kal Tire is pleased to be able to support the City of Kenora’s choice to use recycled rubber products in their landscaping project. The new tree well covers will use approximately 3500 lbs of recycled rubber and extend the usability of roughly 150 used passenger tires.” Kevin McCarty, senior specialist, social responsibility, Kal Tire.

Kal’s RePlay Fund, a Kal Tire initiative, supports community projects that use recycled tire rubber, such as playground surfaces, patio decks or interior flooring, to enhance facilities. The City of Kenora was one of 23 successful applicants of this sustainable funding program.