Tire Pros Francorp (Tire Pros), a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Tire Distributors Inc. (ATD), and Boundless Playgrounds, a nationally recognized nonprofit, have opened Tread Town, an inclusive playground at Pooler Recreational Complex in Pooler, Ga.
The playground was supported by a $50,000 contribution from Tire Pros. It is the state’s eighth public Boundless Playground and the first on the Georgia Coast. It was built to allow children with and without disabilities to play together.
Tread Town’s foundation was constructed from recycled rubber including approximately 400 recycled tires, creating a universally accessible surface that allows children and caregivers with and without disabilities to navigate the playground freely and safely. The playground promotes inclusive, unstructured play with ramped wheelchair access to the highest platforms, and features an exclusive Tread Town tire swing zone, state-of-the art solid harness swings for children who need additional back support, and a multitude of other cutting-edge fitness and educational-based activities.
“ATD and Tire Pros are honored to be partners with Boundless Playgrounds, which provides safe, positive places for all children to play, learn and thrive,” says William E. “Bill” Berry, president and chief executive officer of ATD. “These playgrounds are a great example of the local market impact of our national Tire Pros program. Opening this Tread Town showcases these dealers as civic-minded citizens who give back to their communities. These Tire Pros-branded playgrounds will be in their communities for years to come.”
"We are very grateful to Tire Pros and Boundless Playgrounds for this generous funding to help Pooler build a new playground at the Pooler Recreational Complex and create the first Tread Town playground for children of all abilities in Georgia," says Hugh Elton, City of Pooler leisure services director. "We couldn't be prouder. We know the families of Pooler and surrounding areas will enjoy this Tread Town playground for years to come."
ATD has been aggressively expanding its network of Tire Pros dealers since acquiring the franchise program as part of its late 2008 purchase of Am-Pac Tire Dist. Inc. Aided by its commitment to providing extensive marketing and retail support and offering valuable Tire Pros University training, ATD added 151 new Tire Pros locations in 2011. ATD currently has 25 Tire Pros auto service and tire dealerships in Georgia, including several Tire Pros locations in the Savannah area.
ATD and Tire Pros hope to continue their partnership with Boundless Playgrounds and build similar inclusive playgrounds across the country in the coming years. ATD plans to announce the locations of the sixth and seventh Tread Towns later this year.
There are 245 Boundless Playgrounds in 37 states, D.C. and Canada, with dozens more under development. For more information, see www.boundlessplaygrounds.org.
