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“But the benefits of removing them as a safety measure certainly offset that inconvenience.”

According to the city, 55 slides in playgrounds it operates have been removed. The Calgary Catholic School District has had 25 affected, with another 20 in playgrounds operated by the Calgary Board of Education.

Blair said slides in Edmonton and Lethbridge have also been removed. A recall notice from Health Canada said 161 of the affected slides were sold in Canada.

Due to Alberta’s high ratio, Blair said the city has asked the distributor of the equipment to supply at least half of the 25 slides produced monthly by Playworld to this province, but are still waiting on an answer.

“It’s going to take some time to get things covered,” he said.

“They’re anticipating this process won’t end until the end of the year.”

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the affected slides were produced and distributed to parks, schools and municipalities between November 2000 to October 2016. The slides, which are being replaced free of charge, ranged in price from US$1,500 to $4,000.

The recall order said in some cases the weld between the slide wall and bedway can crack and separate, potentially allowing a child’s fingers or hands to become stuck, creating an amputation hazard.

Health Canada reported as of January there had been no reports of any injuries on the slides in Canada.

Blair said while some families may be disappointed by the absence of the slides at some parks, the city maintains some 1,100 playgrounds, so there are other options for kids seeking out sliding adventures.

In 2015, a south-facing slide at St. Patrick’s Island park was fenced off after a report through the city’s 311 call centre that a child was burned while sliding.

slogan@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @ShawnLogan403