Playground changes irk Charlottetown residents

Some residents of a downtown Charlottetown neighbourhood want their old playground back.

The formerplayground in Connaught Square was removed last fall and some in the neighbourhood complainwhat replaced it isn't good enough.

Martin Arsenault, who lives right on Connaught Square, said the old playground was popular with his children.

"We've been trying for years to get into this neighbourhood.When we finally moved in they had two seasons of playing in the park." said Arsenault.

"We had our own kids, neighbourhood kids, two day cares come by here to play. Now you have nothing in there but teenagers play fighting, dancing around, drunks trying to walk the balance beam. The kids don't use it anymore."

The city made the decision to redesign Connaught Square in 2011. The old style playground equipment swing set, slides was removed last year and replaced with more natural-looking gear, mostly designed for climbing and balancing.

"It should have been left the way it was," said Arsenault.

Public consultation

The City of Charlottetown held several public meetings and worked with users before going ahead with the $12,000 renovation.

Coun. Mitch Tweel, the new chair of the parks and recreation committee, is getting complaints that there was not enough public consultation.

"I've received emails, phone calls. I've been stopped by people in the community that asked what happened to the playground equipment," said Tweel.

"To my mind that's the signal that is conveyed to me is that they weren't directly involved in the collaboration and consultation."

Tweel is going to have another neighbourhood meeting.

"I want to make sure we reach out people in this community within a 10-block radius, he said.

The public meeting will be held in the early fall. Tweel said if enough people show disappointment he will bring the issue forward to council withthe hopeof getting the former playground equipment returned to this park.

Question of the day:How does the new playground at Connaught Square look to you?