Playground Review Only- Tibbetts Brook Park has so much potential, but the playground is badly…read moreoutdated and in serious need of renovation. The equipment is visibly old and deteriorating, with features that are broken, missing, rusting, or simply being closed off instead of replaced.
One of the most obvious examples is a missing slide. The slide has been completely removed, with the concrete footing where it once ended still visible on the ground, while the elevated entrance to the slide has simply been blocked with a small metal barrier. Other play components are worn, faded, and incomplete.
The condition of the equipment also goes beyond simply looking old. There is significant visible deterioration on the elevated metal platforms, including peeling and worn protective coating and exposed, rusted metal. These are surfaces children regularly walk on, climb over, and touch. Combined with the missing slide, blocked-off play features, deteriorated equipment, and inadequate ground covering, the playground gives the appearance of being maintained through temporary fixes rather than properly rehabilitated.
The playground surface is another concern. Much of the area is bare, compacted dirt with very little wood-chip coverage, including underneath and around elevated play equipment. A children's playground should have adequately maintained protective surfacing, especially in areas where children could fall.
This is a major Westchester County park in Yonkers that is heavily used by families, and the playground should reflect that. Removing equipment as it fails, blocking openings, and leaving the remaining aging structure in place is not a long-term solution.
At this point, this playground needs more than cosmetic maintenance. Westchester County should conduct a comprehensive safety inspection and replace or fully rehabilitate the aging playground equipment and safety surfacing. Families and children using Tibbetts Brook Park deserve a playground that is safe, complete, modern, and properly maintained.