Safety shutdown
OBAN’S £180,000 community playpark near Atlantis, which had a surface ‘sinking into a swamp’ just two years after it was built, has been closed on safety grounds after a reported injury.
OBAN’S £180,000 community playpark for children aged five to 15, which had a surface ‘sinking into a swamp’ just two years after it was built, has been closed following a safety inspection and a reported injury.
Residents say it’s a shame for children and the Friends of Oban Community Playpark, which raised more than £334,000 to replace the old playpark beside Atlantis Leisure, which closed for safety reasons in 2014, with two new ones – one for ages five to 15 and the other for under fives, plus a millennium garden.
The group raised £180,000 to fund Oban Community Playpark’s first phase, designed for five to 15 years, which opened in November 2015. The new under-fives playpark, which cost around £95,000, opened at the leisure centre’s 25th birthday party in September, adopting a pirate-ship theme from its neighbour.
But the first park’s surface began to crack and bubble just two years after it was laid, and users grew impatient to see it fixed before children or grandparents tripped and hurt themselves. One mum of four, whose children used the park every day, said ‘massive patches’ were turning into a ‘swamp’: ‘The floor is sinking. It is an accident waiting to happen.’
Then the Friends’ chairperson Lyndsay Elliott announced on Friday: ‘The big playpark has been closed today after a safety inspection by Argyll and Bute Council, due to the state of the floor. At this point we cannot say how long the big playpark will be closed, however, we will share what we can when we know more about how this will be resolved. We are obviously very disappointed this has happened and are hoping for a speedy resolution.
‘The park has been open for more than two years now and the problems were apparent within six months.
‘A senior manager within Argyll and Bute Council is handling this and taking the matter extremely seriously, however, they had problems appointing a contractor to do an independent assessment.
‘The garden and under 5s’ playpark remain open. If you have older children, please remind them to respect the little people who use the under 5s’ playpark.’
One person commented: ‘I fell and twisted my ankle really bad coming off the swing. Definitely needs sorted.’
Another said her grandchildren had a lucky escape: ‘It’s ridiculous after all the money that was put into it and the length of time it took. Surprised no-one has had a broken ankle or a bad fall. Kids just run and don’t realise it’s soggy underfoot. My grandchildren have fallen because of it but luckily no damage was done. Should have been done properly in the first instance.’
Another person added: ‘The flooring in the play park is a nightmare. It’s uneven and sinks and is bizarre to walk on. I hope it doesn’t take too long to get fixed though.
‘I knew there were problems from the start. Which is a shame after the fab job you all did getting it built.’
Last year The Friends of Oban Community Playpark received a Nancy Ovens Award for Play – ‘the Oscars of the play world’.
A council spokesperson said: ‘The safety of the children and families who use the playpark is our key priority. Because of the risk of injury from uneven flooring, we have closed part of the park temporarily and are in contact with the contractor about progressing repairs. The rest of the park remains open.’