New safety measures at popular sliding site

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This article was published 30/12/2010 (5613 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Even as tobogganers laughed and zipped down Garbage Hill Wednesday afternoon, city employees worked to protect the youngsters from hurting themselves on the notorious sledding site.

Seven city workers erected extra fencing and attached 25 tires to the protective backstop that already lines most of the sliding end of the hill at the Westview Park hill. This comes after two youths were sent to hospital with minor injuries the day before.

An incline at the bottom of the hill slows most sledders before they hit the wall of tires. Before Wednesday’s new safety addition, the tobogganers that missed the backstop could easily slide right into the parking lot.

“We are concerned about safety, and we want to make sure that every effort is taken to ensure our parks are safe,” said Jack Lubinski, the city’s superintendent of parks services for the northern area and downtown.

Adding the fence and tires as a safety precaution was a quick and inexpensive solution since the city was able to use its own resources. Lubinski said once the city is made aware of safety issues at their parks, they try to review the problem, and take action promptly.

“Any park with a hill on it is a potential tobogganing site, so if you’re aware of any concerns there, we could see if we need to address any issues,” he said.

Westview Park posts signage warning tobogganers to “Slide at your own risk.”

Kerry Kutcher, 30, is familiar with Garbage Hill. She has been tobogganing at the site for the last 25 years, and remembers when she used to fly down the slope towards the fence.

“When I was a kid, the same thing happened to me, but there were no tires there,” she said after pushing her nephew’s sled down the smaller hill away from the protective barrier.

“The tires cushion the blow, but they should have put them in over there earlier. They had tires on the fence before, so they should have had maintenance on the rest of the fence.”

Some parents are surprised added protection did not already exist in the area. Debbie Todd’s kids have been sliding at Westview Park for five years, but Wednesday’s visit was her first.

“After seeing how fast my kids were flying down the hill, they should definitely be doing something about that area,” said Todd, pointing at the workers below. “They should have done it before if they knew that there was a risk of someone getting hurt. It’s such a busy place. At least I know now that they are doing something about it.”

Lubinski said the call to action was brought to his attention by recent media attention, and that while he was not quick to try and mandate helmets at tobogganing hills, he said protective headgear would certainly help reduce injuries.

“This is the type of activity that is very fast-moving, one split second and two kids can collide,” warned Lubinski. “It does require a lot of parental supervision. That’s something we really emphasize is to wear proper equipment.”

“We are constantly looking at all sites. We currently have five toboggan hills and eight winter slides, and we are quick to review when we hear from the public.”

apaterson@freepress.mb.ca