Swings removed silently

Last of the play equipment removed from Kelvin C.C.

The City’s removal of a play structure from the grounds of the Kelvin Community Centre came as a total surprise to Elmwood residents.

“They ripped out the equipment without even having the courtesy to put a sign up telling families,” said John King, vice-president of the Concerned Elmwood Neighbours, the group that ran the club since August 2006.

“It’s just another slap in the face for Elmwood.”

King is livid the City cleared the equipment without giving notice to area residents.

On the day the structure was removed, King went to Kelvin and bumped into a single father and his two-year- old daughter. They were both shocked to find the swings missing.

King said the girl was in tears, and the father told King he and his daughter walked to Kelvin regularly to use the play structure.

“There are kids and teenagers who use that structure everyday,” said King. “This is unacceptable.”

Ron Klassen, manager of real estate for the City of Winnipeg, said the City did not put up signage informing people that the play equipment would be taken down.

“As far as removing the play structure there is no notification required,” he said.

Klassen said the equipment was removed because the City plans to tear down the building early next year.

“The existence of the play structure was a workplace, health and safety issue,” Klassen said. “The equipment was on-site until the cold weather arrived.”

Once the building is demolished, Klassen said the land will be sold.

As for the play structure, the City plans to set it up in the spring, and is considering several locations. Two of the plans include putting the structure back on the Kelvin grounds.

“Discussions will be ongoing with the community in the winter months,” said Klassen.

King said the City already promised to return the equipment back to Kelvin and that any other location would be useless for Elmwood kids.

“There is nothing for the kids to do around here,” he said. “You don’t take something from Elmwood without replacing it for these kids.”

The City has plans to improve the Bronx Community Club, which is roughly 20 streets away from Kelvin. The idea is that kids from Elmwood and East Kildonan will use the new centre.

King said this will not happen because many kids from Elmwood come from single-parent families that do not have a vehicle or money for bus fare.

“Youth-at-risk don’t leave their community and they aren’t going to East Kildonan,” he said.

King, who also works with at-risk youth in his regular job, said the play structure was one of the last easily accessible places for families and youth in the area.

“They feel abandoned and they have been abandoned,” said King.

He said kids from the community regularly drop by his house to find out when Kelvin Community Centre will open again.

“The kids still haven’t grasped that Kelvin won’t be re-opening,” he said.