Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Playground Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges repair, not removal, of Michigan Park playground; park board staff to inspect
Summary
A homeowner presented signed petitions asking the Park Board to repair the jungle-gym at Michigan Park rather than remove it; staff said the structure failed a safety inspection last fall and will revisit inspection and repair possibilities and follow up with the resident.
A Middletown resident told the Park Board on April 10 she had collected signed petitions from neighbors asking the board and council to repair the playground at Michigan Park rather than remove it.
“My name is Coretta Haynes. I am a homeowner and resident of Littleton, Ohio,” Coretta Haynes said as she presented petitions and photos showing minor rust and wear on a jungle-gym at Michigan Park. Haynes asked that the equipment be repaired and painted so children can continue to use the park while replacement is considered for a future budget year.
Park staff acknowledged the resident’s concerns and described safety and maintenance facts. Board members said the playground is 25-plus years old and that an inspection last fall found safety issues; staff had placed caution tape on the equipment at that time. Charlie Kent (parks staff) said some structural supports have aged and certain areas cannot simply be sanded without weakening them further.
Board staff and members encouraged the resident to document needed repairs and to bring the petition to City Council if she wished. Park staff offered to review the photos and to follow up. “The last thing we would want to do is take stuff out and then just leave it vacant,” a board member told Haynes, noting neighborhood advocacy helps prioritize funding. Staff agreed to revisit the playground’s condition and explore whether limited repairs—painting, sanding small rust spots—or temporary fixes would be safe while the board and Council consider replacement budgets.
Why it matters: Haynes and other neighbors said children use the park frequently and requested that the board avoid removing equipment without ensuring an immediate replacement or interim repairs. Staff said permanent replacement decisions depend on available funding and capital priorities, and that the Park Board is advisory to City Council on funding approvals.
Next steps: staff will attempt to obtain and share Haynes’s email submission of photos with maintenance crews, re-inspect the playground, and report back to the resident and the board; Haynes was encouraged to attend council meetings or contact council members to support park funding requests.
