Windsor parent calling for limited opening of playgrounds, but city's hands are tied

The use of playground equipment in the City of Windsor remains off limits due to a provincial state of emergency — but one woman has taken to social media, asking that children be allowed back on the structures.

"My daughter is amazing but she needs 'round-the-clock entertainment," said single parent Jill Thompson, who shares an apartment in Forest Glade with her daughter. "It's hard for me. I go on walks with her. My feet are tired. She wants the playground like all the kids do."

On Monday, Thompson called for a petition to open up "a few playgrounds throughout the city with proper guidelines in place." Her suggestions include limiting the number of children on one piece of equipment at a time and installing hand-washing stations.

"Only certain ones open for certain hours of the day ... maybe have some people who are laid off come back and work, policing the area, making sure everyone is keeping their distance," Thompson said.

Fellow resident Joselyn Dejong agrees, adding she doesn't see why that can't happen.

"Just keeping your kids physically-distanced from other kids. Limiting, maybe, the number of kids that can be on the equipment at a time and just making sure they're cleaning their hands," said Dejong.

"As long as it's safe on the playgrounds, it's something they can do."

The city's hands, however, are tied. That's because the province has yet to allow playground equipment and pools to reopen.

When it does, the City of Windsor is planning to institute some of Thompson's proposed rules, such as prohibiting more than five people from using playground equipment at a time.

James Chacko, senior manager of parks, said the rules would include limiting social gatherings, keeping a physical distance between each person of two metres and banning people from coming to playground if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Playground closures ignored by some, says city

Even though the city has wrapped playground equipment in Windsor with caution tape, there's a lot of people not paying attention to the rules and using the equipment anyway.

"We have had some instances of members of the public actively using them," said Chacko.

Parks are patrolled by the Windsor Police Auxiliary and bylaw enforcement officers. According to Chacko, if someone is found to be using playground equipment, they are reminded of current pandemic guidelines.

"When found, they are educated of the information and requirements not to use them. We, then, go back with further caution tape."

Restrictions on parks and pools were set to expire on June 9 — but the province has extended them until the end of the month.