Days before the last local elections in June, a mint new playground structure was set up in “
Villa Fabbricotti”, probably the nicest park in town. The set looks modern and smartly designed, but its slide looks dangerously flat: this is because you have to go down astride instead of sitting. As a matter of fact, in the last week two kids fell to the ground, one breaking his arm the other also needing treatment in hospital.
As the local papers say this thing costs 85.000 euro (120,000 US Dollars) and is built by a firm called
Landscape Structures of Delano, Minnesota. The
importer has already sold similar products in Italy but, if we check its gallery, we can see that all of these are equipped with traditional slides.
Landscape Structures has an impressive catalogue online showing dozens of sets, but only few use the flat slide, so this seems to be a deliberate choice of the local customer. The whole structure is placed, as usual in our parks, far from any tree or shadow, making its use during hot summer months at least problematic: everything is scorching to the touch.
Days before the last local elections in June, a mint new playground structure was set up in “Villa Fabbricotti”, probably the nicest park in town. The set looks modern and smartly designed, but its slide looks dangerously flat: this is because you have to go down astride instead of sitting. As a matter of fact, in the last week two kids fell to the ground, one breaking his arm the other also needing treatment in hospital.
As the local papers say this thing costs 85.000 euro (120,000 US Dollars) and is built by a firm called Landscape Structures of Delano, Minnesota. The importer has already sold similar products in Italy but, if we check its gallery, we can see that all of these are equipped with traditional slides.
Landscape Structures has an impressive catalogue online showing dozens of sets, but only few use the flat slide, so this seems to be a deliberate choice of the local customer. The whole structure is placed, as usual in our parks, far from any tree or shadow, making its use during hot summer months at least problematic: everything is scorching to the touch.
25 comments:
it says...Art is dangerous
That seems way too expensive even if it wasn't so dangerous. Maybe they should just call it a modern sculpture and put a please don't touch sign on it. :-)
Well, it looks very nice!;-)
I guess the authorities have to change it, and/or perhaps move it to a place not so hot! The company might have to pay a fortune to several kids and families.... if something (more) happens.
But as I said; It looks FUN and very nice.
wow so expensive and I agree with you it looks very dangerous.Okay...it's time ago that I used to go with my daughter in playgrounds, but now she is 16!Time goes so fast, but I'm always concerned about some places and stuffs, and what is correct.
Great and interesting post, very informative as well.
Thanks for sharing
Léia
Very astute observations. Perhaps your lawyer "friend" can represent the victims of the fall. The playgrounds in our neighborhood have been replaced several times. The first wooden playground was replaced because children were getting splinters. The plastic ones were replaced to so that they could be accessible by children of all abilities. What ever happened to climbing trees?
Please step aside. My daughters would love to play on this play-set which was apparently made just 45 minutes from our house in a Minneapolis suburb! Nice photos, Senor Livorno!
I don't think this structure is dangerous and I really like it, but it is very expensive and probably not used at its best.
Maybe the protective surfacing is not enough deep or the slide was used by kids too young and in the wrong way.
Injuries on playgrounds are quite common everywhere, but something more and better could be done on this one.
That slide looks like a big, blue tongue sticking out. And the circle-like things look a little like vertebrae. I'm thinking maybe the designer is a frustrated med-student.
Obviously chosen by someone who doesn't have kids or plays with them.
Looks great though, and a lot of fun if it weren't for the slide.
When I first saw this photo, I thought that slide looks really fun. I'm sorry to hear it's really a danger in disguise.
That's one of the dumbest things I've ever seen. You could go flying off in several different directions! I wonder how many times this company has been sued?
And isn't it interesting how politicos find something to do for the "people" right before an election!
Sheesh!
Have a great day - what's left of it!
Are we in a critical mood today?! ;-)
What an unbelievable looking slide. The playground is very nice, so-o colorful, but why couldn't they have had a slide like that one when I was a little kid?
I'm with Brattcat. I thought it looked like a tongue, and a cool artistic looking thing it is. I wondered if we were again exporting things that would not pass a safety test in the US. But you're right, accidents happen everywhere. Well, it's fun to look at anyway.
Horrific slide -looks like a monster's tongue! More like a piece of art then a playground. Hope nobody gets hurt and Moms will pay attention! Great observation and research on the issue.
I like the look of it too. My son would of loved the ropey climbing thing a few years back. Now it sounds like someone will make a bit of money providing a modified slide. Bummer about the heat absorbing material. You'd think that would be one of the primary considerations in this kind of design. I'm always amazed by railings that stay cool to touch with sun beating on them all day.
Playgrounds! I can't believe we survived playgrounds. When I was a kid, the monkey bars were - like the slides, swings and seesaws - built on concrete. No padding for us! Danger aside, this is a very visually interesting play set. My favorite picture is the second one - all the twists and turns and shadows that let your eye wander all over the picture. The colors in these photos are so vibrant.
The 1st two shots are amazing! They almost look like frames from a science fiction movie! :-)
It looks very cool, if I were a kid I would stay there all day!
Cool looking playground with the blue colours but as it is unsafe it would definitely not be acceptable in NZ
Although the slide looks very inviting, as you describe it...not very safe for children! And, oh my, a Minnesota product...I hang my head in remorse!! The location does not sound inviting in hot weather, though!
I'm still having problems with my internet but hope to have it solved this week sometime. Glad to be back, even if it's momentary!!
Interesting images! I love the way the yellow and blue intelink.
In Targoviste, Romania, a 6-year-old child died because a big wooden swing, that wasn't properly fixed on the ground, fell on his head. These playgrounds are extremely dangerous. In Targoviste, there is a huge scandal regarding the new playgrounds, also placed right before the elections, and their costs, which rise to about 100.000 euros per playground (and there are 11 in the city!). Moreover, the costs have been kept in extreme secrecy and only the court was able to oblige the mayor, Gabriel Boriga, to reveal the prices. You have to stand up and question these prices, they are absurd, especially in these times of crisis!
Thank you very much for the article and photos. There's exactly one of this kind in Ireland and unfortunately, my 6 yearolds daughter fall off from that dangerous slides and broke her elbow.
It is very inviting!
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