Swings, railings etc gone

[Duke Fame]

Agree for the majority of minor accidents but not for the (admittedly very rare) fatalities (such as the Woodbank Park incident).

I feel the spongy concrete stuff is dangerous, kids learn that landing on concrete gives a soft landing.

I don;t know about the Woodbank park thing, from your description, it sounds like a kid climbed something high and fell onto something hard. you can;t just ban high things.

[JMC]

Surely falling on hard things and getting hurt is part of the learning curve.

Agree for the majority of minor accidents but not for the (admittedly very rare) fatalities (such as the Woodbank Park incident).

[simonesaffron]

Surely falling on hard things and getting hurt is part of the learning curve.

It used to be but now it's a reason for the parents to make a claim against the Council.

[amazon]

Surely falling on hard things and getting hurt is part of the learning curve.

Unfortunately not in today's society . No such thing as health safety when  I was young ....

[Duke Fame]

I personally am not surprised with it still having the concrete floor. I know many kids have minor accidents and accidents can happen anywhere however 'safe' you make things but I remember many years ago a child died at woodbank park fell off the top of the slide onto concrete. Anything that minimises the risk is a good thing (rubber flooring etc). However it seems to be going the other way lately with parks like Lyme Park and High Lane having rocks as steps to slides etc. Speaking of which a child cut their head open on that only a few weeks back.

Surely falling on hard things and getting hurt is part of the learning curve.

[amazon]

We ought to be proud that we have such a dynamic, forward-looking and caring, local authority which is committed to getting rid of obvious death-traps across the Borough.

Rubish read the postings proper on this forum . I have asked the councill over the years for trees to be trimmed footpaths to be repaired .rubish to be cleared not only in marple but in the area werei live lower fold
And it's been done . Ok sometime had to jog there memories . But got there in the end .

[JMC]

I personally am not surprised with it still having the concrete floor. I know many kids have minor accidents and accidents can happen anywhere however 'safe' you make things but I remember many years ago a child died at woodbank park fell off the top of the slide onto concrete. Anything that minimises the risk is a good thing (rubber flooring etc). However it seems to be going the other way lately with parks like Lyme Park and High Lane having rocks as steps to slides etc. Speaking of which a child cut their head open on that only a few weeks back.

[simonesaffron]

Well, Simone, if you'd already emailed someone in "authority"' why did you suggest someone else did the same?

Well, Bowden, it is all to do with conspiracy theories and mini Tesco's and accusations of naivety. You just need to follow the postings a bit closer and you'll get there.

[Bowden Guy]

We ought to be proud that we have such a dynamic, forward-looking and caring, local authority which is committed to getting rid of obvious death-traps across the Borough.

[Dave]

Thanks for passing on the Council's response, Admin, although it's depressing stuff, and not just because of its bewildering jargon (what exactly is 'play equipment that is not compliant surfacing'?).

The depressing bit is the arbitrary and uncaring way the council is behaving, sweeping aside the interests of council taxpayers and their children with these immortal words: 

There was no consultation simply because there was only one possible outcome at this time, the equipment had to be removed.

Words fail me (almost).  It's clear from the council's own response that the play equipment at the rec has been technically non-compliant with health and safety regulations for the past sixteen years, but 'the risk rating was such that the equipment was left in situ.'

So at any point since 1998 someone from the council could have approached members of the local community and said 'We're sorry to tell you that the swings at the rec will probably  have to be removed in the future, unless we can get this IAS stuff laid underneath them.  Let's talk about how we can work together to get that done'.  Is it too much to ask that our councillors should show a bit of common sense and consideration for the people who elect them? 

[Bowden Guy]

Well, Simone, if you'd already emailed someone in "authority"' why did you suggest someone else did the same?

[admin]

Here's an official reply from the Council:

"Thank you for your enquiry relating to the removal of play equipment.

Play equipment requires compliant impact attenuating surfacing (IAS) following the EN standard (BSEN1176 / BSEN1177), which came into force on 1st January 1998. The play equipment that has been removed was not compliant with the current standards however for many years the risk rating was such that the equipment was left in situ.

The Council has now received legal advice in relation to the risks in having play equipment that is not compliant surfacing.  It has been stated that the Council either needs to replace or remove this equipment.

This is something that the Council must now do. At sites where there is funding available play equipment will be re-supplied. At sites where there is no money available then the removal of the equipment and the surfacing does not hinder any future work to re-supply when and if money becomes available.

There was no consultation simply because there was only one possible outcome at this time, the equipment had to be removed.

However the Council will continue to work with any interested groups to secure funding for a new facility."

[simonesaffron]

Well, go on then.

I already have. That's how I happen to know the 'official' reason they were dismantled in the first place.   

[admin]

Do you think the Friends of Memorial Park would be inclined to act in an advisory capacity in the setting up a "Friends of the Rec" group?

Yes, the Friends of Memorial Park would be happy to chat with people considering starting another group during one of our task days in exchange for a hour or two's grafting 

[Bowden Guy]

I know this is only a small, and totally unscientific sample, but I have lived in Marple for 13 years (I know, typical incomer) and have driven past the Rec hundreds of times and walked around it scores of times and I have never seen a SINGLE human being (or dog!) on it. Can anyone beat that?