Mike Richard
Special for The Gardner News
It was a scene conjuring memories of a long-ago era when Gardner playgrounds were the place to be throughout the long hot summers.
However, with boys sporting knickers and suit jackets and girls in bloomers and sun hats, the picture seemed almost as far-fetched as the prospect that these playgrounds would one day be deserted in summers of the future.
Sadly, children don’t flock to the playgrounds like they did some 30, 40 or 50 years ago – or for that matter 100 years ago when the photo accompanying this column was taken.
Even with the current renovations, the state-of-the-art playground equipment and the improvements made at Greenwood, the West End playground doesn’t have the same sun-up to sun-down draw it once did.