David,
I hear rumors that people are holding a rally this weekend to save the locomotive. I also hear talk of them ripping the fence down and making a barricade on Lake Street.
I am afraid if this happens that its going to look bad on our part.
I'm glad we have all these people supporting the cause, but leave the fence where it is and do not hold up Lake St. It will only upset things and I don't think that is what we need.
I'll get on face book and try to talk to these people. I think this is going in the wrong direction.
Chris
Folks, I do hope these are just wild rumours that Chris has heard, and that no one will actually go so far as to rip the fence down and erect a barricade on Lake Street.
Should it Stay or Should it Go?
Controversy has surrounded the Bellevue Park Locomotive since the City cordoned it off with snow fencing in May of last year. At that time, the City’s insurance carrier deemed the locomotive unsafe and advised that it "should not be used as a piece of children's play apparatus."
Since that time the locomotive has frequently been the subject of discussion in the various SooToday forums. The overwhelming opinion seems to be that the City has over-reacted to the situation. So many people recall playing on it themselves as children, and have allowed their children, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren to play on it, and it would seem that no one can recall anyone ever being hurt while doing so! A majority of respondents insist that the fence be taken down and children allowed to play on the locomotive once again.
As you may already know, I disagree.
Yes, I did play on it as a kid. I recall when it was first relocated to the park. For a young boy, having a real "train" to climb upon and play on was amazing!
And no, I never got hurt while playing on it.
Still, looking back, I guess I was just lucky. I climbed into the cab, out the window and onto the gangway, up onto the steam tank (thanks to young Graeme Ellis for informing us that this was a "fireless" steam locomotive), and even onto the roof of the cab. At the time, the roof was about ten feet from the ground, and the gangway about five feet.
But just because — if indeed it is actually the case — no one ever got hurt while playing on it, it does not follow that we should continue to let children do so.
Over the years, as safety standards were strengthened, sand was placed around the base of the installation, both to provide a softer landing area should someone fall and to reduce the relative elevation of the cab deck and gangway. Now the front footboard is level with the sand where it had once been over a foot off the ground.
While this has undoubtedly made playing on the locomotive somewhat safer, I still don’t believe it is appropriate to use it as a piece of playground equipment.
The adjacent Rotary Playground is comprised of some of the latest in playground apparatus, providing children with ample opportunity to climb, explore, play, and use their imaginations.
Councillor Celetti has suggested acquiring a playable replica of "Thomas the Tank Engine." Licensing issues aside, there is merit to his suggestion. Today’s playground equipment manufacturers offer a wide range of structures designed to be both fun and safe for kids. Perhaps one can provide a train-like piece of equipment that can be installed in place of the locomotive?
Like it or not, and however fond our childhood reminisces are, the standards for the construction, installation and maintenance of playground equipment is regulated by the Canadian Standards Association, as specified in CAN/CSA-Z614-98, A Guideline on Children's Playspaces and Equipment.
These standards cover such potential hazards as Head and Neck Entrapment (minimum size for openings or gaps); Angles (where children may become trapped); and, Protrusions and Projections (which could cause entanglement of clothing, jewellery, etc).
There are many pieces of playground equipment which I can recall playing on as a child which are no longer permitted by the more stringent standards. Remember the hand-pumped merry-go-round, or "monkey bars," or the giant slides? Today, slides are a maximum of 6 feet in height.
I haven’t had time to research local statistics regarding playground injuries, but a quick survey of related literature suggests that in North America over 200,000 children required medical attention due to injuries that occurred on a playground. Undoubtedly others have received injuries which did not require medical care.
I am in no way suggesting this locomotive ought to be sold for scrap. I am completely in favour of relocating it and restoring it to its original appearance (without the happy face) as a heritage piece, and installing it in a location where the public — including kids — can have access to it as an interactive display. My preference would be the Bush Plane Museum, which has expertise in creating similar interactive displays.
A few years back I toured the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa. One of the many display areas includes a locomotive gallery, where a number of historical locomotives are on display. Guests can enter the cabs of these locomotives via a walkway which is situated at the same height as the cab floors.
We could have something similar. No, it wouldn’t be the same as "playing engineer" in the park, but it would be better than what we have now, and better than simply scrapping the locomotive.
I sent an e-mail to the Mayor and Council with my idea, and sent a copy to Chris Allen, who wrote the letter which described how his late grandfather had engineered the locomotive until his, and its, retirement, seeking permission to quote his letter in this column. I would like to share part of Chris’s reply:
I really like what you wrote to the mayor. (I would like it) even if they were to restore it to its original colour and the orginal number 10. My grandmother has a replica of it, that my grandfather had left behind. Or they could put it back at Algoma Steel where it came from, maybe near one of the entrances. I think if it’s not to be played on then (at least) display it for everyone to see.
The locomotive holds a place in the memories of innumerable Sault residents, and likely with many visitors, too. I agree with Chris: if it’s not to be played on, then let’s display it proudly for everyone to see.
Related links:
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Playground Equipment Manufacturers
Henderson Recreation
Active Playground Equipment
More local news
Browse local flyers
Weather forecast
Find local deals
View local webcams
Verified Commenter, please