Police are searching for two people who damaged a special new surface at a Meridian
playground built for children of all physical abilities, canceling its planned weekend
opening.
About $4,000 in damage was done Saturday night to a rubber base poured in place under a
play structure at the Adventure Island Playground at Settlers Park at Meridian and Ustick
roads. The surface must cure like cement, Parks and Recreation Director Doug Strong said.
Angela Lindig, a Meridian mother of a disabled child, is leading the playground effort
that began about four years ago. Organizers are working to raise a total of $1.2 million
for what they say will be the first universally accessible playground in Idaho.
Local residents, businesses and other groups have given time, money and support to the
playground. In late August, about 500 people worked to build the first phase of the play
structure.
Strong said work crews finished installing new rubber base material shortly after 8 p.m.
Saturday. Sometime before midnight, two people wearing size 11 or 12 shoes ignored
"No Trespassing" signs, crawled under a construction fence, used the structures,
and walked all over the new base material.
"They knew they were trespassing," Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd said.
"They had to make an effort to get in there. I don't think they knew the
pour-in-place surface was set or not. It's hard to imagine they didn't know they weren't
supposed to be in there."
De Weerd said the city is looking for help in identifying whoever damaged the playground.
Meridian police are involved because of the costly damage, she said.
A grand opening celebration for the first phase was scheduled for Saturday. That event has
been delayed until sometime in early November, Strong said. Workers need to tear out and
replace the damaged surface, he said.
"There is no way to patch it and make it look right," he said. "We are
buying a new surface, not one that's been patched."
Once the surface is repaired, the city will take adequate steps to protect the material
until it cures, Strong said.
For example, Meridian police will increase patrols in the area, the parks department
will install motion-sensitive lights, and someone will stay on site until the material
sets up, Strong said.
Lindig said she hopes the people responsible for the damage will come forward.
"I would feel better knowing it won't happen again," she said. "My guess
was that it was not malicious intent. It looked like they wanted to play and check things
out. But it cost a lot of money."