A newly-reopened Inverness park closed for a ‘comprehensive safety inspection’ after a rope became detached from a climbing net.
Whin Park, near the Ness Islands, reopened on April 4 following three months of improvement works.
The park received an impressive £500,000 revamp.
Dozens of families flocked to the Inverness park on its opening day.
However, last week, a maintenance issue was reported at the playground involving a loose bolt on the climbing net which led to a rope becoming detached.
Highland Council workers attended the site on Saturday and took the unit out of use until playground suppliers Jupiter could attend.
A Jupiter spokesperson said: “We take all safety matters extremely seriously and responded with urgency – dispatching a team to site at 9.30am today to resolve the issue swiftly and professionally.”
A comprehensive inspection of all play equipment and fixings was then carried out to ensure everything “remains in top condition”.
The net climber, and the rest of the park, have now reopened.
Highland Council remind public that some equipment is ‘strictly for under 18s’
Highland Council said they would like to notify the public that some of the play equipment is “strictly for under 18s use only”.
The council are now increasing their inspections of the playground for the “foreseeable future”.
Meanwhile, they have also extended the opening hours of the toilets during the school holidays. More benches and picnic tables are also due to be installed at the park soon.
‘Comprehensive inspection’ of all play equipment carried out
A spokesperson for Jupiter added: “Whin Park has enjoyed a busy first 10 days since reopening.
“As a destination park, it has experienced significantly higher footfall than a typical local playground, and we are thrilled to see the community embracing it so enthusiastically.
“Over the weekend, a maintenance issue was reported involving a loose bolt on the climbing net, which led to a rope becoming detached.
“As part of our response, a comprehensive inspection of all play equipment and fixings has been carried out to ensure everything remains secure and in top condition.
“We are committed to maintaining the highest safety standards and ensuring that Whin Park continues to be a welcoming and secure space for families to enjoy.”
They added that the new playground has been installed and inspected in accordance with the standards and is fully compliant and safe for continued use.
Conversation