The newly renovated and re-opened Admiralty Park has issued advisories for adults to stay away from their slides as they are only meant for children ages five through 12. Visitors to the park had raised safety concerns after two adult women sustained injuries this week when they tried out a particularly steep pair of slides at Admiralty Park, the largest park in northern Singapore.
A 24 year old woman sustained injuries after being thrown out of a slide, and her adult sister was bruised as well. This prompted the general manager of Semec Enterprise, maker of the park’s play equipment, to issue a statement that since this equipment is meant for children, it is indeed unfit for adults. This was echoed by Mr Chuah Hock Seong, the group director of parks for the National Parks Board. Furthermore, signs at the part make it clear that the play areas are for children ages five to 12, although adults and teenagers have been using the slides, at times with the younger children they accompany.
Mr Chuah Hock Seong has assured the public that they will keep on observing the use of the play area and adjust the safety measures as needed.
Netizens, however, have taken a rather different view of the matter, assigning possible blame unto certain adults, specifically to the Members of Parliament and journalists who were featured playing on the slides when they first opened.
Netizens seem to feel that the adults who tried the slides out, including Minister Lawrence Wong, were a poor example to the other adults who later visited the park.
Some online commenters even began to have fun with Mr Wong’s name.
Others pointed out that the women who tried the slides should be held accountable for their own irresponsible behavior.
And still others pointed out that knocks and bruises sustained on a playground are just part of life and what make us resilient human beings.
