As workers put up temporary fencing around the destroyed Fort Natomas in Jefferson Park Monday afternoon, residents, many of whom helped built the popular playground in 1991-- then again in 2006 -- gathered.
Their collective mood ranged from disbelief to anger, from helplessness to determination to rebuild the landmark South Natomas structure. The decorative tile wall -- erected in 1991-- adorns the front of the playground. It features names of parents and their children, many of whom are now 17 and older and helped rebuild the playground in November 2006 ago after it was destroyed by the first fire that June. They visited the charred site today, as did many smaller children who were denied a place to play.
In a comment to Bill Lindelof's story about the early Monday fire, reader bxluddite wrote, "Like my daughter said over and over, when we stopped by today, 'The park is sad.'
City Councilman Ray Tretheway was also shaken by the early morning fire. "I can't believe they've taken the playground again ... It's the best playground in the city," he told many residents.
Many school and community playgrounds have been targeted recently. Here's a Bee story about two fires set May 10, one at John Bidwell Elementary School in the Meadowview area and another at Hazel Strauch Elementary School, also in the South Natomas area. Fort Natomas is next to Jefferson Elementary School.
A meeting is planned at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss what the community will do next.
Mayor Heather Fargo and Tretheway have offered a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for destroying the playground, the Sacramento Fire Department announced this afternoon.
Anyone with information about the playground fire is asked to call the Sacramento Fire Department's arson tip line at (916) 808-8732.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.