Refurbished Owl Park Has Safety Concerns

I am writing about Glendale’s Mayor’s Bicentennial Park, which can be seen just east of the CA-2 Freeway.

We bring our grandsons to the park. It is nice and quiet and has a great path to walk. There are bridges on the path and my grandson renamed it “Bridge Park.” 

In June, a crew removed the play equipment and is installing a large owl. At first, we thought that it was great to get an upgrade. But as we have been watching the new installation, we are seeing major safety concerns.

My wife and I are looking at this design not only with eyes as parents or grandparents, we are also looking at it from a professional background. My wife was a firefighter and I have been a health & safety manager. 

The first issue is when children are on the opposite side of the owl they are out of sight of their caretakers and there is no way to get to them if something arises.

On the rear of the owl’s right wing there are handholds for climbing. The handholds go to the top of the wing, which seems to be [about] 15 feet off the ground. On the front of the right wing there are more handholds. These are placed in a way that the child must lean back to climb, similar to professionals who climb overhangs. I envision children climbing on the owl’s head and down to the other wing – which doesn’t have handholds. The City’s own picture on the [park] fence shows a child on top of the wing.

There is a slide on the back of the owl. Next to it are the owl’s tail feathers that are at the same angle as the slide. Those will be used as a slide also.

They have installed an old fashion teeter-totter. It looks like someone tried to design in safety, but the high side seems to be five feet off the ground. The ground will be rubberized, but those are some long drops.

There are signs installed showing that one area is for 5-12 year olds while another area is for 2-5 year olds. I can’t tell how the two sides will be divided.

After it is completed, we will have to see if Mayor’s/Bridge/Owl Park is a place for us.

Bob Bell
Shadow Hills

Grateful for Column

Thank you so much for “ loving fireworks” on the 4^th [“Booms Heard Throughout the Valley,” From the Desk of the Publisher, July 9]. You are well aware that this is one of the most important days of the year for Americans, especially on our 250^th birthday. I’ve had six great dogs in my long life and only one had a real problem with July 4^th. My wife and I stayed home with her every 4^th and I was able to take her mind off of the racket. Unfortunately too many people in this state don’t appreciate our history or even understand “the rocket’s red glare; the bombs bursting in air” and use the excuse of fire danger, harm to animals and PTSD to disregard what the 4^th means to the majority in this country.

Peter Rosenthal
Glendale