Wheeler Park structure removed for safety reasons
The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation removed a structure from Wheeler Park following community complaints.
Photo by Bob Needham | AnnArbor.com
According to Amy Kuras, an Ann Arbor park planner, the structure was cause for concern for many members of the Ann Arbor community.
“We got a lot of complaints about people sleeping in it and all kinds of other things,” Kuras said. “It also doesn’t meet any of the current safety guidelines.”
Kuras said new equipment will be installed in place of the structure, including a swing set and a train structure to reflect Ann Arbor’s train station.
Kuras said the city also plans to install nicer trash containers and plant more trees.
Lizzy Alfs is a junior at the University of Michigan majoring in English. She is also a news reporter for the Michigan Daily. Email her with events and news relating to Ann Arbor’s North Side.
Comments
Jacob
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 : 2:10 a.m.
I have played on this quite a few times with my brother without incident and I had fond memories of playing on it when I was younger. It was probably my favorite thing about the park. Maybe it was 'dangerous' maybe it was 'unsafe' but jesus christ, you can hurt yourself on literally anything. There was another park that had a wood and rope spider like structure that was recently removed as well because of safety concerns. Again, I have very good memories of climbing on that thing and going to the top of it and pretending I was on the bow of a ship. Nothing these days is safe, it seems. It makes me sad to think of a world filled with those goddamn horrible rounded plastic structures that do not really provide much to play on at all. Why do people have to be so overly concerned with safety? I am getting kind of tired of seeing all my childhood landmarks destroyed in the name of other peoples complaints. VERACITY: A skatepark is a recreational outdoor facility much like a tennis court or a play structure. I believe when it is completed you will have to sign a waiver agreeing to not sue if you die or get hurt yadda yadda, all that bullshit, before you skate it. Once again you can hurt yourself on literally anything. You could trip on a crack in the sidewalk or misstep on a curb and fall. I would also like to point out that skateboarding is not the only thing that injures people. Look at high school sports teams. How about car crashes? how many people die a year from skateboarding related accidents? do you know these things before you say what you say?
Veracity
Fri, May 7, 2010 : 1:16 p.m.
The concrete structure was a mock-up of an Apollo Space Capsule. My daughter enjoyed climbing over it and through it since she was 3 years old. Since it was concrete and with some sharp edges she was always attended when she used it and never became injured. I find it difficult to accept its being removed because of safety concerns and yet City Council recently approved a new skateboard park, hardly a safe activity itself.
bunnyabbot
Wed, Mar 17, 2010 : 6:02 p.m.
picker- abbot school had a metal merry-go-round out front when I was in grade school. Imagine recess, 2 classrooms full of kids, yes, near 60 kids piled onto that thing while 12-15 boys pushed it as fast as it would go and then hopped on. It's amazing no one got injured. All while the teachers stood 30 feet away watching. I don't think they told us we had to stop until the principle happened to see it and it freaked him out and that was after several weeks of the daily ritual. oh the days where kids could have fun! (and then there was dodgeball! and yes, we aimed for the head! and that red ball stung!)
Rosie
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 10:20 p.m.
I'm with atnaap, I miss the days of tall metal slides and teeter-toters. There are some neat structures on playgrounds today, but basics like slides are not as fun as they used to be.
The Picker
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 6:20 p.m.
It needs a good set of monkey bars, a merry-go-round, you can pump, and some swings. maybe even some of those horses welded to big coil springs. Now that's some fun!
theodynus
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 11:41 a.m.
My son cried when he saw them tearing it down. It was the last piece of dangerously fun playground equipment in our neighborhood. Everything else is that godawful cookie cutter crap that every playground on earth has now. I've walk past there every weekday morning for three years and have never seen anyone sleeping in it. As for safety concerns? You know what would be really safe? An empty field enclosed by 6' tall rubber walls.
Jon Saalberg
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 10:46 a.m.
Well, safety, maybe. I can speak for my now-12-year-old and 15-year-old, who played numerous times on this structure without incident. I fear the new structure will be some sort of plasticky thing that won't be remotely as much fun as the old structure.
senja
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 7:36 a.m.
WOW, finally!!! When I was eight I was playing on this structure, slipped, fell and had a sizeable piece of the soft tissue under my knee hacked off by one of the protruding bricks. At the time it was a traumatizing experience requiring multiple stitches. Glad it's gone!
frozenhotchocolate
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 2:51 a.m.
Does make sense. I grew up going to that park a couple times a year, it was different and fun, it always reminded me of the playpark in the Toledo Zoo. I never got hurt, but thinking back, it was only so different because it was a concrete dome with small ridged tunnels. If I had kids I would not let then play on it.
bunnyabbot
Thu, Mar 11, 2010 : 1:14 a.m.
and a lot of commie kids would walk down to that park to smoke
Wystan Stevens
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 9:10 p.m.
No "before" photo?
The Picker
Wed, Mar 10, 2010 : 7:15 p.m.
Maybe they can move that back-hoe down a block and take away that eye sore on the corner of Main and Summit! The North Gate to the city has always been ignored and this structure has been abandoned for more than 30 years. It would make a perfect addition to the adjoining Depot Park. It insulting to think that city officials think much less of this area than other more notable locations in town. P.S. My kids told me that dome smelled like Pee Pee 20yrs ago!!!