Torched playground structure in Montreal's Saint-Michel neighbourhood leaves residents on edge

MaximeSabourinwas excitedto take his three-year-old son toGary-Longhi park in Montreal's Saint-Michel neighbourhood to show him the ropes of, well, the ropes.

"He just started climbing, he's really active," he said. "Wewere actually looking forward to come play here."

A well-usedyellow and brown playground structure, equipped with a slide, ropes and steel bars, sits in Gary-Longhi park, formerly known as Saint-Damasepark, just down the street from Sabourin.

But some residents and parentslike him are on edge after part of the play structure was set on fire over the weekend.

"It's super frustrating, it's scary," said Sabourin.

"A park in a neighbourhood, it feels like the heart of a neighbourhood and having something like that happen is like a strike right to the heart."

It's unclear exactly how one of the structure'slittlewooden houses, a unique rope bridge and part of the slide wereburned, according to Montreal police, who sayit happened Saturday night.

TheServicedepolicede la Ville deMontral(SPVM)'sarson squadis still investigating. So far, no suspects have been identified.

Andranne Leboeuf, anindustrial designer and landscape architect for playground equipment supplier Elephant Play, is the designer behind the playground structure.

She said she was informed of the fire when someone sent her a picture of the charred metal poles.

"Iwas really madbecauseit'ssomething Idesigned just for this park a couple of years ago andit'sthe only nice park of this area," she said, adding there are few other places for kids to play in the neighbourhood.

The fire happening in a playground near two schools generates asense of fear among residents and parents, said Sabourin, who added "it's not the first thing in the neighbourhood that's shocking."

In 2021,16-year-old Thomas Trudel was shot and killed just steps from the park. No one has been arrested in connection with his death.

In August, a25-year-old man was fatally shotnear the corner of 25th Avenue and 46th Street, and two teenagers were arrested in October after shots were fired in the Saint-Michel library on Franois-Perreault Street.

Sabourin says officials have told residents action is being taken, but "we don't see more police in the neighbourhood ... we don't feel the extra safety of their actions."

He's calling for better communication from officials and more police visibility in the neighbourhood.

In the meantime, Sabourin says he doesn't know he'll explain to his son why he can'tplay on the well-known structure.

"I hope that they're gonna fix it and build it back as soon as possible," Sabourin said.

The VilleraySaint-MichelParc-Extension boroughdeclined an interview but saidthe site was cleaned and secured and the playground will eventually be repaired or replaced.

Designer Leboeufsays she'll be able to use all the surviving steel pieces to help rebuild the structure "nearly as it was before."

"[We'll] repaint and the plastic has to be redone, but yeah, we can redo the park," she said.