news Scene: Fire at the High Park Playground

Local kids and their parents visit the burnt shell of the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground, hours after an apparent case of arson.





SHOW CAPTION  ✉ Share on:  142796 Police investigate at Jamie Bell Playground in High Park after part of the playground was set ablaze around 3:00 a.m. Saturday.<br /> <br /> <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-002-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-002.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-002.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground 0 0 142797 <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-005-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-005.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-005.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-2/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-2 0 0 142798 <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-007-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-007.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-007.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-3/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-3 0 0 142799 <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-011-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-011.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-011.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-4/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-4 0 0 142800 <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-013-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-013.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-013.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-5/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-5 0 0 142801 <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-017-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-017.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-017.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-6/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-6 0 0 142802 <em>Christopher Drost/Torontoist</em> Arsonists torch popular Toronto playground https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-023-100x100.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-023.jpg https://torontoist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/031712_HighParkPlayground-DROSTphoto-023.jpg 1024 683 https://torontoist.com/2012/03/scene-fire-at-the-high-park-playground/slide/arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-7/ arsonists-torch-popular-toronto-playground-7 0 0



WHERE: Jamie Bell Adventure Playground, High Park

WHEN: Saturday, 11 a.m.

WHAT: In 1998, children, their parents, and local volunteers worked together to design and build a playground in High Park. It had turrets and ropes and slides and panels painted by the kids themselves, and in 2003 it was named after community leader Jamie Bell, who came up with the idea in the first place. At about 3 a.m. this morning the largely wooden playground caught fire; circumstances are suspicious and authorities are investigating whether arson was the cause.