When red swings mysteriously popped up all over Halifax earlier this month, city officials expressed some reservations, but now they are on board with the idea.
The red swings were erected on June 7 as part of the 100 in 1 Day event and are meant to promote under-used public spaces.
“We wanted to generate that thought and that conversation around, how do we draw people to new spaces and how do we get people to explore the city itself and try to make a fun activity for all ages?” says Adam Hayter who spoke on behalf of the people who installed the swings, who wish to remain anonymous.
The red swings are part of a global initiative which started in Austin, Texas in 2007. The swings installed in Halifax are the first of their kind in Canada.
After a bit of back and forth and concerns raised over liability issues, the city is now on board with the swings.
“City infrastructure meets certain standards. Parents expect that when their kids play on city property, that they will be safe,” says John Traves, director of risk management for the Halifax Regional Municipality.
The city checked out one of the swings and deemed the materials and knots used to hang them to be acceptable.
“The reality is, kids are going to scrape their knees and bump their heads, but we shouldn’t close these things down for the simple fear that people might have too much fun,” says Traves.
The city says it still has to figure out how to find all the swings, fix them if needed, ensure they are safe, or take them down if they’re deemed dangerous.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Gena Holley
