Skaters who visited Queen's Athletic Field over the weekend were greeted with a number of “no sliding” signs and orange fencing at the once popular sliding hill next to the skating oval.
The City of Greater Sudbury erected the barriers after settling a lawsuit recently with a man who suffered a spinal injury while sliding at Queen's Athletic Field and sued the city.
“The last couple of years I was concerned for the safety of the children,” said Paula Demore, who was out skating with her family at Queen's Athletic on Sunday afternoon. “But it's a shame it couldn't be made safer.”
Demore said conditions at the small tobogganing hill would sometimes become icy in warmer weather.
The ice created ruts in the snow, which would send children flying, she said.
Her son, Michael Demore, 10, said he ended up on the skating surface one year when he went down the hill too fast.
But he said the hill remained one of his favourite sliding spots in Sudbury, and said it was “annoying” the city had shut it down.
Tibila Sandiwidi was out sliding with his children – Rayan and Julien – at Bell Park on Sunday.
Sandiwidi said it was unfortunate the city closed the hill at Queen's Athletic, which he frequented often with his children.
“Any place you can get injured,” he said. “You could walk and fall and get injured.”
Sandiwidi said he prefers to play with his children outside, than for them to stay home on weekends watching television or playing video games.
He said he liked the hill at Queen's Athletic Field because it also gave his children the option to skate around the oval if they didn't feel like tobogganing.
In a press release last week, the city said that while the hill at Queen's Athletic Field will remain closed for the winter season, other sliding hills on city property will remain open.
“The city promotes active, healthy and safe enjoyment of outdoor activities and is committed to providing such opportunities for residents,” said the news release. “Greater Sudbury is a winter city, and tobogganing is a favourite winter activity for many children and families.”
