Parents Say Scotch Plains Playground Equipment Is Too Hot To Handle

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Some like it hot! But apparently that doesn't apply to parents who take their children to a New Jersey playground where direct sunlight may have created a dangerous situation.

Kids love to play in the water at Ponderosa Park in Scotch Plains. Families looking for summer fun say something is missing, the shade.

"There's not a lot of shade so I brought an umbrella," Jen Lizzi told CBS 2's Vanessa Murdock.

More than 60 parents signed a letter to the mayor which claims that the lack of shade has created a dangerous environment for their families.

The sizzling playground surface came in at a piping hot 170.9-degrees when measured by laser.

Concerned parents, grandparents, and caretakers want something done to keep the equipment cooler and safer for children.

The park is managed for Union County by the Township of Scotch Plains. Township manager Jerry Giamis said that they are considering options to help cool things down.

"We are in the process of bringing a landscape architect on board to see if any type of trees we might be able to plant to provide more shade," he said.

The letter suggested special canopies. Giamis called the canopies a possibility but said that they are pricey and that the decision would ultimately lie with the county.

"We have looked into it. It's pretty pricey, and because it's an infrastructure issue that would be up to the county," he explained.

Parents said that money shouldn't be an issue and that the structures need to be safe.

Union County told CBS 2 that every attempt was made to keep mature trees on site during construction. Officials want parents to continue to bring their children to the playground year-round.

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