HYDE PARK — Parents who live near Bixler Playlot Park woke up Friday morning to find the playground equipment completely gone.
Construction crews pulled out all of the playground equipment early Friday morning at Bixler, 5641 S. Kenwood Ave., just days before the park advisory council was to meet for the first time on renovating the playground.
“It’s by far the busiest playground” in Hyde Park, said Mila Jameson, one of the members of the new advisory council.
Jameson said she called her park supervisor when she heard the playground was gone and said she was shocked to find him as surprised as she was.
But Park District officials said plans for the park were finalized in January, with local school children picking the final design. Officials provided renderings to DNAinfo that the kids picked. The renovation is part of the citywide Chicago Plays! initiative, launched in 2013 with the goal of replacing "equipment at over 300 aging playgrounds throughout the city," the park district's website says. No timeline for Bixler's renovation is listed on the website, however.
The advisory council formed sometime after the design was picked, and members said they were told the renovation was not set to start until after the community had a chance to review the plans and weigh in on the options.
The new advisory council is still planning on meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Midway Plaisance field house, 1130 E. Midway Plaisance, to talk about the playground and is hoping to get answers from Park District officials.
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