Missouri company begins install of new, safer playground equipment at Veterans Park

Andy Nash, employee with the playground construction company Miracle Recreation, tightens a bolt on new playground equipment at Veterans Park in Fulton on Wednesday. The new playground will include two slides and climbing bars as well as two swing sets that feature tire swings, regular swings and gliders.
Andy Nash, employee with the playground construction company Miracle Recreation, tightens a bolt on new playground equipment at Veterans Park in Fulton on Wednesday. The new playground will include two slides and climbing bars as well as two swing sets that feature tire swings, regular swings and gliders.

Construction of new playground equipment started yesterday at Veterans Park. The city of Fulton selected Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, based in southwest Missouri, to build the new playground. Matt Nash, one of the playground constructors, said the playground should be completed Monday.

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Bill Johnson, Fulton director of administration, said the city reviewed 13 bids before selecting Miracle Recreation and cited its "variety of equipment" as a large reason why it was chosen. The total cost of the project is about $65,000, according to Johnson.

The previous playground stood for 18 years before Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association (MIRMA) found 42 to 45 hazardous playground pieces of concern, according to a Fulton Sun article from July. Over those 18 years, safety requirements changed and led to the numerous hazards.

The playground bars are now closer together and are not wide enough for a child's head to fit through. Johnson also said children will not be able to crawl up the playground posts.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.