Union Square, South Slope Playgrounds Deemed Among City's Unsafest
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Playground safety is a top priority for the New York City Department of Recreation, but that does not mean the safety record is squeaky clean.
CSB2's Vanessa Murdock reported Thursday on which city playgrounds report the greatest number of injuries.
Nearly 2 million children take advantage of city playgrounds, offering countless opportunities to climb, spin, and just be kids.
On occasion, all the fun can turn to frenzy when someone gets hurt – and it does happen. Between 2013 and 2014, 60 injuries were reported at city playgrounds.
Topping the list was Evelyn's Playground in Union Square, where the silver dome is a huge draw.
Dabi Flatto-Katz, 6, said it was "a little hard" to get up the dome and "much easier" to get down." But it seems the dismount from the dome can, in fact, get a little precarious.
In total, 11 children got hurt on the playground between 2013 and 2014.
"If I felt like I was unsafe for him to do it, then I definitely wouldn't bring him up there," said Clarence Laverpool of East New York, Brooklyn, who was on the playground Thursday with his son, Adonis.
Second on the list was Slope Park in South Slope, Brooklyn. At least eight children broke bones playing on the Oodle Swing.
"It was the worst pain in my life and I cried a lot," said Lucinda Dugan, whom Murdock interviewed in 2013. She broke her leg in two spots and wore a cast for six weeks.
The Oodle Swing was later removed.
"Kids would go under the wheel, basically, and kids others sit on top, and spinning -- totally dangerous," said Rondell Barker of Park Slope.
Barker points out yet another feature that apparently was deemed too dangerous. The disc at Slope Park is now locked and may never spin again.
"It's kind of a bummer for the kids," said Michelle Fegan of Park Slope.
Fegan said she is not concerned about injury.
"Not anymore," she said. "They took everything away."
The Parks Department said, "Our commitment to child safety is clearly demonstrated by our timely response to equipment issues flagged by parents and caretakers."
