PLAY NICE: Groundsman Garry Blacka has warned residents to take care of City Park equipment if they want to continue using it. Picture: Anthony Stipo
CITY Park users have been warned to “play nice” with equipment or risk losing it.
The hugely popular Skysurf play equipment is once again off limits to patrons after being overloaded with park-goers.
Griffith City Council groundsman Garry Blacka said it was at least the fourth time the ride had broken since the park opened.
“It’s got a weight limit of 150kg but people pile on to it and it breaks,” he said. “There’s only meant to be one person on either end but now the footrest is broken and (the ride’s beam) is bent.”
While the ride is under warranty, council parks and gardens manager Peter Craig said they might have to reach into ratepayer’s pockets to fix it.
“Before it has been covered under warranty but if this is broken through misuse then it’s probably going to cost council to fix it,” he said. “It could cost a couple of thousand dollars to fix.
“If people don’t treat it properly and it keeps breaking then it might have to be removed and then the kids miss out.”
But it’s not all bad news down at City Park, with the newly installed lights causing a huge drop in vandalism.
“Vandalism has definitely dropped off since the lights went in,” Mr Blacka said. “It’s probably down about 50 per cent but it’s moved into other areas because they can see further out now and the barbecues have been targeted a lot recently.”
Improvements are still ongoing at the park, with the latest project a “fruit forest” at one end of the park featuring fruit fly friendly trees.