By Brent Mazerolle
Moncton (New Brunswick) Times & Transcript Staff
Aug. 23, 2008

A just society doesn't pave a playground and put up a parking lot. Period.

The kids of Ackman Court knew it, and now the grown-ups know it too.

New Brunswick's Social Development Minister Mary Schryer said yesterday her department is now prepared to replace a playground slated for demolition at one of her department's NB Housing communities in east Moncton.

The park had been the site of a four-day long protest completely organized by neighbourhood children after contractors arrived Tuesday to tear it out.

Facing opposition from a group of pint-sized children with 10-gallon hearts, the workers agreed to give them a week to appeal the decision to remove the play area, known as Winnie Reiker Playground.

Adult residents of the community were told the outdated, potentially unsafe playground was being removed so work could be carried out on the sewer system, but that it would not be replaced and the space would be turned into a parking lot. [More]

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