Arson destroys Buffalo Grove playground
Police are searching for the people who set fire to the playground next to the Buffalo Grove Park District's headquarters Friday night.
According to park district estimates, it could cost more than $100,000 to replace the equipment.
The fire at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive, was set at 8:20 p.m., the park district reported.
Video surveillance confirmed that at least two people were in the area of the playground at that time. According to park district officials, the two appear to be middle school or high school aged.
“The park district deals with different forms of vandalism all the time, but this incident is extreme,” said Mike Terson, the district's public relations and marketing manager.
He added that it affected him and his family directly,
“I don't just work here, We live three blocks away from the Alcott Center, and I've been bringing my 6-year-old son to this playground since it was built. I can't even express how much it saddens me to see such a wonderful amenity in our neighborhood, that thousands of children enjoy, just senselessly destroyed because some young people have complete disregard for their community or don't know how to channel their anger in a less devastating way.”
The playground was installed in 2007 and featured a state-of-the-art soft rubber surface underneath to minimize the risk of injury, as well as ramps and other features that made it completely accessible for children with physical disabilities.
The playground will remain closed throughout the winter until the park district is able to replace it in the spring.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call the Buffalo Grove Police Department at (847) 459-2560.