Safety Concerns Cause Giant Slide in Detroit to Close Hours After Opening
A giant slide, which had just reopened in Detroit’s Belle Isle park, was closed again on August 19 due to safety concerns after children were seen dangerously bouncing down.
Video recorded by Kenyatta McCadney shows children flying down the slide, with some getting a little too much air time. Though the children hit a few bumps they can be seen laughing, seemingly unharmed.
“It’s kind of violent,” McCadney remarked in the video.
The amusement, which had been shut since the beginning of the pandemic, was open for five hours before it was closed again for safety reasons.
Belle Isle Park officials stated on Facebook that some adjustments would be made to the slide “for more enjoyment.” On Sunday, August 21, Belle Isle Park said they had “scrubbed down the surface and started to spray a little water on the slide between rides to help control the speed.”
The Detroit News reported that no one had been injured. Parents and children were interviewed, with some of them describing the experience as “terrorizing… and fun!” Credit: Kenyatta McCadney via Storyful
Video Transcript
- Yeah! And we used to [INAUDIBLE].
- Yeah.
- Uh-huh.
- [INAUDIBLE]
- Yeah.
[SCREAMING]
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Woo. Ooh. Ooh. Keep your hands in. Ooh! Hey! Oh, know, baby, [INAUDIBLE].
- Oh, no. No, no, no, no.
- Oh!
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Hold up! [INAUDIBLE] The giant slide [INAUDIBLE]. [LAUGHS] Hey.
- These kids [INAUDIBLE].
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Hold up, [INAUDIBLE], out [? of ?] [? pocket. ?] Is he pushing them?
- Yeah. [INAUDIBLE] pushing.
- [INAUDIBLE]
- Oh, my god! Are you guys OK?
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: I don't know if I want to let Jordan go down.
- All right. Are you OK?
- Yeah, I'm OK.
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Hey, Jor-- I want Jordan to go down!
- [INAUDIBLE] coming down.
- [INAUDIBLE] going down.
- Yeah, [INAUDIBLE].
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: This [MUTED] giant slide dangerous!
- [INAUDIBLE]
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: [INAUDIBLE], you can go down. Jordan, you come back.
- [INAUDIBLE] are you OK?
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: You come on back down, Jordan. I don't know if you're ready for that. It's kind of violent. This ain't like the old giant slide. Y'all put some calamine lotion on this [MUTED] or something. [LAUGHS]
- Which is probably why they closed it down, though.
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Yeah, probably so. I'm telling you, they're taking flight after the second loop. See that second-- that second lump don't look right.
- Yeah, it--
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Yeah, it look like it's kind of--
- When I was I kid I came here. But we weren't flying like that.
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: No. We used to take flight because we used to push each other down it. But this is a little different.
- [INAUDIBLE]
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Yeah. [INAUDIBLE] trying to come off that second-- that second lump and end up down here. You definitely can't go down backwards how we used to do and all that. Princess, you could have did it. You said no? [INAUDIBLE] ain't a slide. It's a roller coaster.
Just make sure you hold onto the blanket. Don't put your hands on the slide. Everybody tapping out.
- Yeah, everybody recording. Ain't no [INAUDIBLE]. That kid's brave. [INAUDIBLE] I ain't getting on that slide [INAUDIBLE] bumping up and down. It used to be on plastic.
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Keep your head up! Keep your head up! I want to-- [INAUDIBLE] ooh. I told-- [LAUGHS] I told you keep your hands off the slide. Yeah, that's it. We do good on that. I pass the rest of these tickets out.
- Wait, how many [INAUDIBLE].
- [INAUDIBLE]
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Yeah, get your glasses back.
- I sweat to God, it was in my pocket.
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: Y'all want to do it again?
- No!
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: [LAUGHS] Yeah, I pass these tickets out.
- [INAUDIBLE]
KENTATTA MCCADNEY: I done waste the $20.
