New playground

Big news! Pretty much the best thing that could happen to a stay at home mom! A new playground, right in our backyard!

So that’s what I was thinking way back in February when we heard machines working and go out to find massive construction taking place. We had heard rumors of a new playground to replace two smaller playgrounds that were really close together, so we were happy to see that it was taking place after all. Over the span of 3 days or so the playground is completed. They brought in some rubber mulch which I was excited for over the wood mulch, and then a couple days later they scooped the mulch back up, put up an orange fence, and then did nothing for six long months. 

The old playground, very simple but it was nice to have so close

 

 Over time we learned the story of what happened, and the local newspaper was covering the drama as well (pretty happening place over here). So, after laying the rubber mulch some lady complains to the city that the rubber fumes are going to give all our children cancer. We got fliers on our door about why wood mulch is better, they held a special meeting to discuss the matter (which I would have gone to if I wasn’t in Seattle). Finally, the city council decides to do a poured in place rubber surface. The mayor decided that she also wanted the playground to be handicapped accessible, so this allows for that to happen? Anyway, they took down the wood surrounding the playground and added a little ramp and a poured rubber surface. Then they took the fence down, and we have been loving it ever since. I’m quite thrilled with the rubber surface actually. The wood much is awful. There is no place to put crawling babies because they’d just eat the wood, the wood grows all sorts of mushrooms in it and is disgusting, it needs to have more mulch spread out as the old decomposes, and when it freezes, its rock hard and has no more protective qualities. So I’m actually really proud of the council for concluding that the hazards of rubber were inconclusive and not serious enough to go back to wood (although I was not happy that they pulled the rubber mulch because of the letter from one person). The playground is in open air, they are only on the surface for an hour or so at a time; there is no risk to their health in my mind.

And wow have the kids been flocking here. It is certainly bringing the neighbor hood together, because that’s where all the kids want to be and so the parents are there also.

They just tore down our old little playground, which was a little sad, but lets face it, the new one is much better.