Charlottetown playground changes criticized at public meeting

Residents who live around a popular square in Charlottetown expressed their frustration Wednesday night about changes to the playground they say were made without adequate consultation.

The people gathered at the public meeting were overwhelmingly critical of the playground renovation.

"We do want the swings back. We do want the activity centre back," said local resident Judy Gallant.

"I want to take my grandkids back there. They won't go over there anymore."

In 2014 the city removed the traditional swings and slides from the playground and installed more natural-looking climbing and spinning equipment in its place.

The reviews were not good. The city says it has heard several complaints from people who say they weren't well informed about the process, so it held a new public meeting on the matter.

Mark Belfry said he would have attended the first consultations had he known.

"We didn't realize we had to attend this because something significant was going to happen to our community," said Belfry.

Daycares in the area expressed concern that they now have to walk half an hour round trip to go to a playground. Some residents said the equipment is unsafe and that they've seen children get hurt.

The comments presented at the meeting will be brought to the parks and recreation committee. It will then make a recommendation to council as to what they think should happen with Connaught Square.

The hope is that the plan will be included in the 2016 budget.