Flooding closes AC Douglas Park playground months after rebuild

A new public pool in Stevensville was not part of the plan for AC Douglas Park, where flooding has closed the playground less than a year after a $190,000 rebuild.

The Town of Fort Erie confirmed the shutdown was caused by site conditions that prevent water from draining quickly, including flat terrain and clay soil beneath the playground surface. The closure affects only the playground structure while the rest of the park remains accessible to the public.

The town told Fort Erie Radio the issue first appeared late last year which led officials to inspect the site under an ongoing monitoring plan.

Another inspection took place on March 10, after staff received notice from residents that heavy rainfall had again left water pooling on the playground surface.

Town staff report that drainage performance continues to undergo evaluation while the site remains closed to play. Work is underway to determine a fix but details have not been provided on what specific remediation will take place or when repairs will begin.

“The town is currently working on a solution to be implemented as soon as possible,” said the recreation and planning department in a written response.

The playground replacement project relied on surface drainage rather than buried infrastructure to move water away from the equipment area. Due to site constraints, an underground drainage system was not installed during the playground replacement last summer.

Until a solution is installed, the playground area at AC Douglas Park remains closed.

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