As warmer weather approaches, the City of Oshawa is preparing its parks for increased use, with a focus on keeping playgrounds safe for children.
Coun. Rick Kerr says safety is a priority for the city.
“The safety of the parks is 100 per cent a municipal responsibility. So yes, it’s extremely important,” he says.
With more than 140 parks across Oshawa, many featuring playgrounds, Kerr says the city follows a structured process to determine which locations need upgrades first.
“[Maintenance workers] will look at things like the age of the facility but also the level of condition of every aspect of the facility,” he says.
That includes checking for issues such as chipped paint, rotting wood or worn metal that could pose risks.
Oshawa’s capital planning audit program relies on regular visual inspections of park assets, according to information provided by the city.
The annual budget for park enhancement is about $500,000, according to Kerr.
About half of all parks are assessed each year, ensuring every site is reviewed within a two-year period.
Inspectors also use specialized tools to identify hazards, including devices that detect openings where a child could become trapped, equipment to check for protruding hardware, and tools that measure safe ground surfacing and potential pinch points.
Kerr says playgrounds today are designed very differently than in the past, with safety standards guiding every detail.
He says residents play a role in maintaining safety by reporting problems when they arise.
He recommends calling Service Oshawa and speaking to an agent who will dispatch staff to check on it.
“And that could happen within the day,” he says.
For parents, however, safety concerns go beyond just playground equipment.
Tonya Brear, a mother of two young children, says she generally feels comfortable bringing them to Conlin Woods Park near her home.
She says features like fencing can make a difference for younger children.
“It brings comfort knowing that most playgrounds have a safety fence around them for younger kids, at least, so they’re not running off,” she says.
Still, she says there are concerns about the surrounding environment.
“One of my biggest concerns would be that a lot of substance abuse is being used in all areas all over Ontario,” she says. “And I just, I fear that sometimes they don’t use the safe needle disposal.
“And there has been times where we’ve found used needles at [other parks], which is somewhat disheartening.”
Brear says she has noticed some improvements in playgrounds over time.
“It’s nice to see that the equipment is, you know, being upgraded for new things for the kids and that maintenance is being done on the equipment to ensure the safety of the children,” she says.