Accident on popular Wellington slide sparks safety concerns

Council are investigating safety concerns at the lighthouse slide and children's playground at Frank Kitts Park. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A popular Wellington slide is under scrutiny after a 5-year-old broke their leg playing on it.

Wellington City Council is investigating the accident, which happened on Monday at the Frank Kitts Park playground.

The young girl broke her right tibia while playing on the tower slide, requiring a full leg cast from her hip to her toes.

The girl's mother, who did not wish to be named, reported the incident to the council on Tuesday.

She said the small, faded sign that warned people to remove "grippy" soled shoes was not visible to parents from the bottom of the slide.

Children and play spaces portfolio leader councillor Jill Day said the whole playground was very "tired", and in dire need of a replacement.

Last year, Day called for a safety audit of the whole playground, which revealed multiple life-threatening issues.

They included exposed steel wires, rust, fall hazards, trip hazards, and places where body parts could get trapped.

The tower itself was found to have a rotting timber structure and the gel coating on the slide had worn off, exposing glass fibres.

The report recommended the slide be immediately closed, but a fibreglass specialist who looked at it afterwards confirmed it was still in good condition and could be kept open for use.

Council took immediate action to fix the rest of the issues, and the playground was then deemed to comply with safety regulations.

A child peers up into the lighthouse slide, part of the children's playground in Frank Kitts Park, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Day said they had hoped people would be able to continue using the playground until its full renewal later this year, but this latest accident meant they would have to review the equipment.

"The issue is rubbery shoes can catch on things, it's something I've dealt with as a parent on many outdoor slides," she said.

"But we do need to look at the gradient of the slide, and make sure we don't have something that's going to cause further problems.

Signage at the lighthouse slide and childrens playground in Frank Kitts Park, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"I have asked council staff to have a good look at it and consider whether it does need to be closed off."

Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said the equipment was more than 30 years old, but it was inspected and maintained regularly. He stressed the playground is safe to use.

MacLean said they were going to renew the existing sign and add more signage around the slide tower, with a focus on advising people to remove their shoes.