Staley Park families seek return of fenced tot lot after playground overhaul
Parents say the $173,000 replacement removed features they relied on, while the city says it is exploring options to address their concerns.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
The $173,000 playground replacement removed the former fenced tot lot and sandbox. A petition had more than 320 signatures by Friday afternoon, according to the report. The city says it is exploring options, but no approved plan or schedule for restoring the enclosure is reported.
A playground replacement at Frederick’s Staley Park has prompted families to ask the city to restore a fenced space for toddlers and young children.
The Frederick News-Post reports that a petition started by parent Amy Sprague had collected more than 320 signatures by Friday afternoon. It asks for fencing, shade, seating and age-appropriate activities in the former tot lot area, along with resident involvement in the design.
Sprague said she expected improvements to the playground, which was more than 30 years old, but was surprised when the fenced tot lot was removed and the area was seeded with grass.
Parents described the old enclosure and sandbox as practical features that supported both supervision and social connections. Sprague said the fence helped adults watch multiple children, while the sandbox brought young children and parents together.
Parent Emily McRae said she wished families had been involved before the changes were made. She also questioned whether the new equipment offers enough variety between the youngest and oldest users.
The replacement includes a structure labeled for ages 2 to 5 and swings, plus a rope climbing course labeled for ages 5 to 12, according to the newspaper.
City spokeswoman Jennifer Gerlock said the renovation was part of Frederick’s Parks Playground Replacement program. The Staley Park project cost $173,000 out of $250,000 allocated to the program this year.
Gerlock said staff members work with playground contractors on individual designs and that the city is exploring options to respond to the concerns.
The North End Civic Association, which built and maintained the park before the city took over in 2010, also wrote to the city seeking a role in resolving the dispute. Board member Blaine Young said the association had not been consulted on the design.
The fence’s removal has also affected the YMCA of Frederick County’s Head Start program. CEO Chris Colville told the News-Post that the program can no longer use the playground because of state fencing requirements for licensed child care centers.
The former setup had maintenance problems, too. Young described people using the enclosure for dogs, and the association’s letter noted that cats used the sandbox as a litter box.
Parents seeking its return acknowledge those concerns but want the city to restore the functions the old space provided. The report does not identify an approved replacement plan or a timetable.
WHAT IT MEANS
Families and the YMCA are asking the city to address uses that the new playground arrangement no longer supports. The discussion now involves equipment, fencing, sanitation and how residents participate in future playground decisions.
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