Shock at playground risk

By Deborah Diaz

AUCKLAND - A third of playground equipment in North Shore parks falls short of safety standards and officials want to remove some items immediately.

North Shore City Council officers say $1 million is needed to bring play equipment up to scratch, after a city-wide survey found much of the ageing equipment did not measure up. A report to go to the council parks committee tomorrow wants high-risk equipment to be removed immediately to minimise the chance of the council being sued.

The suspect equipment includes slides, seesaws and climbers.

The survey compared equipment and surfaces in the city's 108 playgrounds to New Zealand standards and the council's selfimposed standards.

It found 37 per cent of equipment and safety surfacing was unacceptable; 226 of 276 structures were at least 20 years; 74 structures were in poor condition, and about 70 should be removed immediately. The report says New Zealand has yet to have a case of negligence fully tested.

"If the council fails to upgrade a playground and is aware of a playground's shortcomings, their omission to act may constitute a flagrant disregard for the safety of its users ... In such a situation liability may attach and exemplary damages could be awarded."

North Shore parks manager Les Busby said none of the equipment was "dangerous as such," and all met the standards of the day when built.

Playground features marked for improvement included replacing rubber safety matting, as bark chips were safer.

Mr Busby said older equipment had often been made from steel and had sharp edges, while modern equipment tended to be made from rounded plastic tubing.

Equipment such as slides simply was not made as high as it used to be because of concerns about children falling.

The report recommends that the equipment be renewed over five years.

An Auckland City parks manager, Jim Doidge, said a similar survey had been done in Auckland City last year, which resulted in a decision to spend $75,000 over three years on upgrades. A system was developed to test equipment after 15 years.