‘Play risk’ tree stump will be fenced off
A large macrocarpa tree stump at popular Tāhunanui playground will be fenced off after a playground specialist found it breached playground safety standards.
The Nelson City Council announced last Tuesday that the while the “solid” tree does not pose a risk of falling, specialist playground assessor Play Safe had identified it as a “play risk”.
Play Safe’s report, provided to Stuff, said the main concern was the old tree’s height: playground standards restricted the height of play equipment to 3 metres, and the stump was 7m.
Play Safe founder Adam Stride, who prepared the report, noted that children climbing the stump risked “falling onto hard surfaces without adequate surfacing”.
However, the stump had become a “local feature”, and Stride offered alternatives to removing it.
These included turning the stump into an enclosed tree hut, or trimming the stump to a more acceptable level.
The report suggested repurposing the trimmed logs and placing them, with large rocks, to create a natural play feature, using the stump as a centrepiece, that would contrast with the “conventional” play equipment nearby.
However, the city council said it will extend the sand dune to surround the tree, and the area will be fenced off.
Ronny Winde from Richmond takes his daughters to the park fairly regularly. Part of their play is climbing trees, and they’re both good climbers, especially 9-year-old
Parichat. Their favourite climbing trees are further along the playground, and at the Back Beach, Winde said.
Winde’s initial reaction was that the tree should be left as is.
“I’m not sure it needs to be fenced. Health and safety gone overboard.”
However, on closer inspection expert climber Parichat noticed the trunk’s smooth surface. “There’s no grip,” she said. “It might be too slippery to climb,” Winde said. “I don’t think children will be able to get up too high.”
However, Parichat clambered up the stump as far as she could.
“If she can’t climb any further, I don’t think other children could,” her father said.
Council community services group manager Andrew White said council had to ensure playgrounds are safe.
“If we get professional advice that we need to make a change we must take it seriously.”
After considering Playsafe's recommendations, the council decided against removing the tree: an “extreme” option, given local affection for the stump.
Adapting the tree for use as playground equipment was not possible due to cost, White said. Fencing allowed the tree to remain in place, while addressing safety concerns, he said.