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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think kids should be able to play in the park when it snows?

28 replies

becstarlitsea · 02/02/2009 18:06

We're in London, and have lots and lots of snow - so far, so fun (well, less fun for DH who walked 4 miles to work... but fun for me and DS!). DS and I walked to the park with his sledge intending to build a snowman, pull the sledge around a bit, y'know, the stuff you expect to do... To find it locked. I figured the park attendant wasn't there yet, perhaps delayed due to the snow ironically, so we played in the street, went home for hot chocolate and came back later. It was still locked, so we walked around all the other gates, in case it was just our nearest one that was shut. Eventually we came across someone 'official' who was telling kids off for climbing over the railings to get into the park. Apparently the park was not shut by accident - it was shut for 'health and safety reasons' in case a kid fell over while playing in the snow. Am probably in danger of sounding a bit Daily Mail but Why is it safer for all the kids to be playing in the road and vaulting the pointed railings than for them to be playing in the park??? Madness, or AIBU?

OP posts:
Frasersmum123 · 02/02/2009 18:08

Health and Safety brigade out again!

tumtumtetum · 02/02/2009 18:09

YANBU.

kissyfurschaos · 02/02/2009 18:11

Its crazy. Ours was open ds and I were the only ones there but we had fun.
Probably closed because of fears of being sued if little Jonny has an accident.

tumtumtetum · 02/02/2009 18:11

Hasn't that report which just came out said that children aren't allowed to be children any more and that's why they're sad. They have loads of material stuff but too little time with family doing the simple things like playing in the friggin snow.

FFS.

And why can't they play in the snow? Because when there is an accident, however minor, the parents sue which ties right back into the bit in the report about selfish adults ruining everything for the kiddies...

Stretch · 02/02/2009 18:12

YANBU, madness!

Original poster
becstarlitsea · 02/02/2009 18:13

You're prob right kissyfurschaos It wouldn't have been so bad if we could catch a bus to another park, but with no buses running we were stuck with our local (Kilburn Grange Park just to name & shame!).

OP posts:
smallorange · 02/02/2009 18:14

Do they really sue though? I mean where are all these suing parents with the time, energy and money to go through a lengthy court battle?

PlumBumMum · 02/02/2009 18:14

YANBU

Saves kids running through other peoples gardens 'ruining their snow'

This happened at my old house and I had to tell the kids to get out as my dd was very upset they were wrecking our snow

spicemonster · 02/02/2009 18:15

You don't live in camden do you? Apparently they have locked the parks

My DS is only small so the back garden was enough fun for him but if I had older children I'd be very annoyed

MrsFreud · 02/02/2009 18:17

Bec you have to write to the council, its the only way to try and stop this madness.

HecateQueenOfGhosts · 02/02/2009 18:18

because of all the people who would sue the council if they went to the park, fell over in the snow and hurt themselves.

And they'd win!!

So if the council closes the park - any falls are not their responsibility.

Sad. But blame people who sue if they get gum on their shoe.

Original poster
becstarlitsea · 02/02/2009 18:19

I do live in Camden council area spicemonster. My DS is only small too, but we don't have a garden (live in a flat), and he's an active little chap so I was really looking forward to running around in proper snow with him. Instead of which we trudged the streets of Kilburn looking for an open gate into the park - not his idea of fun... Bless him, he made the best of it, but still, he could have had so much more fun if we'd had an open space for him to play in.

OP posts:
kissyfurschaos · 02/02/2009 18:19

grr at that park's local council. It is so true about kids not being able to be kids.
I was very glad ours was open 'Glevum Way' in Gloucester.

Here is ds running into it:

www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1809806&l=cacf7&id=594710987

unfortunatly the camera batteries died so didnt get any in there, which was a shame as a lovely lady passing offered to take a pic of the two of us playing in the snow.

spicemonster · 02/02/2009 18:20

Camden is the only council doing it though hecate. I don't think we are any more litigious here than anywhere else in London are we?

smallorange · 02/02/2009 18:20

Phone your local newspaper - great story - they'll love it. Pick of sad little ruddy-faced angels outside the locked gates. Grasping bureaucrats ruining kiddies' fun. Oh I wish I was still a reporter.

nannyL · 02/02/2009 18:22

YANBU

kissyfurschaos · 02/02/2009 18:22

They probably use those awful companies that target you in town centres (or at least in glos!)
one of them didnt believe me when I said I hadnt had an accident in the last three years!

No win, no fee morons.

TsarChasm · 02/02/2009 18:24

Actually you could also fall over in the park when it's not snowing and come to serious harm...over a leaf perhaps or a twig.

And grass all over the place waiting to ambush people, not to mention killer sparrows and poisonous flowers in the summer and deadly picnics.

When you think about it maybe they should be done away with altogether...for health and safety reasons, obviously.

Who dreams up this rubbish? Someone paid lots of money no doubt

spicemonster · 02/02/2009 18:25

Well if it's still snowing tomorrow and the park is still closed and you fancy it, you're very welcome to trudge over to our garden (we also live in Kilburn). My snowman is a bit rubbish though

smallorange · 02/02/2009 18:26

It might just have been that there weren't enough people able to come in to work to open up the parks. You might find it open tomorrow.

Original poster
becstarlitsea · 02/02/2009 18:31

Aww, spicemonster you're very kind! For all you know we could be maniacs! If the parks are still closed tomorrow I'm going with smallorange's ruddy-faced angel photo op. DS has huge eyes, and is really skinny like a little Dickensian urchin... "little oliver's only dream was to play in the snow. While his hard-working father trudged through the blizzard to work in a damp basement in Bayswater, little did he realise his innocent son's dreams would be shattered that day by a faceless bureaucrat' I can see it now in the Ham&High

OP posts:
spicemonster · 02/02/2009 18:35

Well obviously I wouldn't let you into the house - you can use the side gate into the garden

Ham&High would cover it for sure - they featured me pregnant with a wrongly issued parking ticket a few years' back

FairLadyRantALot · 02/02/2009 18:36

yanbu....it's quite sad

pointydog · 02/02/2009 18:39

How bizarre. But I imagine that the greedy grasping society we live in, where councils have to cough up money for trips on uneven pavements and jaggy bits of fencing, has brought this upon us.

BrownSuga · 02/02/2009 18:42

Now this is one thing I don't like about England. It's completely idiotic. We're in Canada for a couple of years, and I've just walked 5mins to our wee little park where our borough has set up an outdoor ice rink. Use as you wish, no H&S notices, no gate to lock it off, no stern park warden telling us to bog off. Makes me think DH is right, and we should stay here, where children can be children (and some of us adults can too)