Old slide to go

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 476, 9 March 1993, Page 1

Old slide to go

Raetihi's playground equipment is not worth saving and efforts should be directed to providing new play equipment, the Waimarino Community Board confirmed last week. The board had already decided that the slide and swings should go to make way for a new system, as suggested by the Waimarino Community Health Watch Committee, but local contractor John Dobson had expressed the view that the equipment could be retained and made safe. "Mr Dobson feels it would be better to build up a mound around the slide rather than spend a lot of money to pull it down," said Board member Ray Berry. He said Mr

Dobson supported the idea of providing new equipment as well. Board chairman Colin Webb said the slide was not only dangerous, it was no use as children could not slide down it because the surface was too rough. "If they had a pair of pants on at the top of the slide they certainly wouldn't have any at the bottom." He said the slide stopped too abruptly and too high and that the chute was too narrow to be lined with stainless steel, which had been suggested. It would be too difficult to build a mound, let alone establish grass on it, then mow it, he said. Board member Winston Oliver said if a

plan had been presented to make it safe and usable, the board might be able to support the idea, but no such plan had been presented. There was not a lot of support from Raetihi people in general for the retention of the equipment, the board heard. "There's not a lot going for it," said Mr Goddard, "and there's one quick solution to the problem." FOOTNOTE: Mr Berry said he had heard Raetihi Plunket members were prepared to get out with sledge-hammers and dismantle the slide, "so some money could be saved there."