Playing On The Edge

The play park build day was today and this is what occurred.  The playground is a small tract of land shaped like a peninsula with Reserved and Visitor Parking on either side.  The road turns on a sharp 90º angle at the narrowest edge of the play park.  The architect who designed the co-op had made a landscaped buffer zone at this narrow edge outside the chain linked fenced area. The children's slide and climbing structure was deep within this peninsula facing a grassy common area.  The approach to this fenced in play park was from this landscaped side. 

The narrow portion once had two 'springy-thingies' for the children to sit and rock on.  They were eventually removed because of constant breakage.  Visibility was excellent on either side of the narrow part of play park.  People driving on our side of the play park could easily see vehicles approaching the buffer zone on the other side of the park.  The problems we've had over the years are cars speeding around the corner and the wear and tear of the landscaped buffer zone by garbage trucks and snow plows.

The play park committee has today set a precedent for absurdity.  Gone is the buffer zone, gone is any safety fence whatsoever.  They have constructed a slide play structure at the narrowest part of the peninsula, right up to the edge of the U-shaped road with no protection barrier, leaving only a few feet between the child at the bottom of the slide and a parked car, or cars zipping around the corner.  The committee outlined the perimeter of the play park with one-foot high wooden beams.  This does not provide any protection whatsoever for children, it is merely for decorative purposes.  Because the play park is built right up to the roadway, children balancing themselves on the beams, or sitting on the beams could be clipped or killed by passing vehicles.  When children take turns going down a slide, they have to get out of the way for others and could easily dart out into the street.

I cannot think of a parent alive who would not be alarmed with this play structure configuration.  The co-op's architect had placed the original play structure deep inside the peninsula for a reason and had left a buffer zone, with clear visibility, for a reason as well.  The new play structure completely blocks visibility for drivers, which creates another level of danger.

Members of the committee are stating that the play park is not the co-op's responsibility.  Who's responsibility is it?  The individual committee members?  The playground equipment provider?  Of course not, the co-op is responsible.  Public play grounds, which this one is, are subject to preliminary and yearly safety inspections by The Canadian Standards Association.  As well, our insurance agent must be apprised of this new play park, in addition to filing a change to our site plan with the City of Ottawa.  

Apparently, this is just Phase 1 of the new play park.  Phase 2 (for older kids) will be built in May and that one will be where the original structure was - deep within the play park.

I took some photos of this play structure this afternoon.  The property manager snidely remarked as she passed by behind my back:  'Are you going to send this to CMHC too?'

I might.