Part Of Playground Reopens After Safety Concerns Close Structure

BEL AIR, MD ? A section of equipment at Annie's Playground at Edgeley Grove Park in Fallston has reopened after undergoing a safety inspection.

Annie?s Playground was originally constructed in 2005 in honor of Annie Cumpston who died in 2003 when she was six years old after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Baltimore City.

The entire playground was closed in March after a routine inspection carried out by Harford County Parks and Recreation maintenance staff found cracks in some of the playground?s structures. The cracks were found to be limited to structures in the area for 5- to 12-year-olds. To ensure public safety, that area has been fenced off and remains closed as the county continues to work with a licensed structural engineer and contractor to assess the existing playground structure, officials noted.

In the meantime, the section of playground designed for 2- to 5-year-olds has reopened. The first significant renovation of the playground was completed to the 2- to 5-year-olds section in the spring of 2022.

In 2023, a renovation project for the playground included removing the old pressure treated wooden equipment and installing a new custom creative playground along with a poured rubber safety surfacing. The new equipment added to the playground included a treehouse with an elephant-shaped slide, an arch climber, a rock wall, four different kinds of slides, a variety of swings and gliders, a music area, catwalks, tunnels, bridges, ramps, animal sculptures, sensory panels and seating among other items.

The $1.5 million in funding for the renovation project was provided through the Local Parks and Playground Infrastructure Program administered by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.