The overdue maintenance of playgrounds in the municipality of Hoorn has increased considerably in recent years. Alderman Dick Bennis writes this in a letter to the city council. At the moment, the municipality has a backlog at 78 different play locations, where play equipment needs to be replaced. This backlog will continue to grow in the long term. “That may jeopardize safety.”
The municipality currently has a backlog of 78 playing locations that need to be replaced. A play location is, for example, a playground, where 2 to 3 playground equipment may need to be replaced.
“This year we will not reach the goal of 30 playing locations. Instead, 22 locations will be replaced,” says alderman Dick Bennis in a letter to the city council. “We are also currently confronted with price increases, which means that a minimum of 25,000 euros is required per venue to maintain the same range of games.”
Headache file
That means there are still 56 venues left, which should be completed in 2024
replaced, along with the planned 30 new venues for that year. That brings the total to 86 locations. A headache file, Bennis agrees. “This backlog continues to grow every year, which may jeopardize safety.”
The challenge for good and safe play locations in the municipality of Hoorn is great. At 369 different locations there are 1,787 playground equipment, 226 sports equipment, four Cruyff Courts, six skate parks and a city beach, the municipality has a wide range of play facilities for children.
Safety
The 369 playing locations are regularly inspected and assessed for safety. Playground equipment should also be replaced every 10 to 15 years. Up to and including 2018, about 12 play locations were replaced every year, mainly for play equipment. As of 2019, that number has been set at about 30 different locations. The municipality has allocated a budget of 500,000 euros for this purpose.
Because the municipality is struggling with a lot of overdue maintenance, intervention is necessary and inevitable, according to Bennis. “To continue to guarantee safety, we may have to close or remove playing locations or equipment.”