Mild-mannered Battery Park City parents nearly went all Second Amendment last year over the planned changes to the beloved playground in West Thames Park, better known locally as Tire Swing Park. At the last minute, and after several heated meetings, state officials agreed to tweak the makeover plans and preserve the spirit of some elements of the old playground. The revamped park opened over Memorial Day weekend, complete with the new tire swing that parents fought so hard for, but it didn't last long.
A tipster writes:
The infamous plight of BPC's Tire Swing park continues. After neighborhood battles for more than a year the park got finished (even on time!). If you remember there were some knockdown dragouts concerning the park. The park opened to rave reviews of neighborhood children on Memorial Day weekend. Here is where the fun kicks in...the next day the infamous "beloved" Tire Swing was gone. Rumors in the 'hood range from a few kids hitting their heads on it, to shoddy construction and to my favorite of an angry dad taking the swing down himself. Neighborhood bets are on the angry dad. Help us find the Tire Swing!
Turns out the truth is a mixture all those rumors. DNAinfo says the tire swing became persona non grata when kids immediately started banging their heads on the wooden support beams while swinging (including the offspring of one of the park's most vocal critics, who helped convince officials the new playground needed a tire swing?irony alert!). A Parks Enforcement Patrol officer was briefly stationed at the swing, but when children started playing on it again, a parent took the tire down. It won't go back up until the nation's top tire swing scientists figure out exactly what went wrong.
· Tire Swing Removed From Battery Park City Playground After 2 Children Hurt [DNAinfo]
· West Thames Park coverage [Curbed]
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