Residents in Sunderland, England, were looking forward to a new playground in Diamond Hall Pocket Park, but were wildly disappointed by the structure erected, reports the Daily Mail. Concrete slabs sprinkled the park, instead of a bright and colorful play area.
Jackie Nisula, a full-time caregiver, remarked that the blocks resembled tombstones and that the area was extremely unsafe.
"There's things that look like miniature gravestones sticking out of the ground...There's no seating area to watch your kids. It doesn't seem to be child friendly at all...It's just not safe for little kids to go on. The stepping stones are really high and made out of concrete. Kids want to jump over them but they could easily crack their heads open," Nisula told the news source.
The playground cost a reported £70,000 (approximately $100,000). Despite the outpouring of criticism, Julie Gray, head of community services for the Sunderland Council, told the news outlet that the community was involved in the design and creation of the park.
Mirror.co.uk reports that workers recently sanded down the "gravestone" blocks.
Colorful, multi-faceted
playgrounds may be beneficial to kids. Playground experts claim that different textures and colors can stimulate children's senses.
