Hating the wading

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by George Maddux

Ten thousand reckless little goofs get injured in our country's playground parks each year according to the Ontario-based Canadian Standards Association. Such data leads cities like Montreal to constantly remove playground attractions the CSA considers dangerous, even though the playgrounds aren't always to blame. "Kids are kids and they try to push the limits and sometimes it's not the equipment, it's the way that it's used," says city playground specialist Claudette Lalonde.

The result has been the slow demise of such traditional childhood diversions as monkey bars and that essential tool of puppy-love courtship, the seesaw. And perhaps most cruelly, that urban aquatic oasis, the wading pool, has been targeted above others. The city not only considers knee-high pools dangerous but they're also costly due to the necessary surveillance and maintenance.

This has ushered the rise of water games--contraptions that toss jets of water at the push of a button. Among others, the brats of NDG Park whose parents have long brayed for summertime water activities will have to settle for water sprays to be installed this summer. Serge Fortin, the city's pool expert, says that citizen reactions will continue to be closely monitored as has been done since the new water contraptions made their splashy debut in Joseph Paré Park in Rosemont two years ago. "We started with it two years ago as an experiment, if it goes well, it'll be the new aquatic activity."