CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Parents of a Northwest Side elementary school will gather Thursday afternoon to figure out the next steps after someone destroyed the school’s playground equipment this week.
In the summer of 2018, a couple of hundred volunteers spent several hours installing new playground equipment at William P Nixon Public School, in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood, following a $250,000 fundraising effort by parents.
But on Tuesday night, according to 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez Rosa, someone apparently set fire to the equipment and destroyed it.
Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa wrote on Facebook, "while it is fortunate that no one was hurt by the fire, I am deeply saddened to see one of Hermosa's only public recreational spaces destroyed in an apparent act of arson...
"The destruction of Nixon's playground is a tragedy, but just like in 2018, our community is going to come together to secure a new playground for our children."
He said Thursday's afternoon get-together at the playground site will provide more information about the apparent arson and future plans to rebuild. Ald. Ramirez-Rosa said he is going to be allocating $100,000 in aldermanic infrastructure funds to repair and replace equipment.
The alderman is also inviting all community members to sign and share a petition calling on CPS to rebuild Nixon Elementary School's playground.
Ald. Ramirez-Rosa said he is going to be allocating $100,000 in aldermanic infrastructure funds to repair and replace equipment. However, he knows this is not enough and that CPS must step up and rebuild the playground.
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