After Eugene School District 4J faced public outcry following the removal of a playground next to Westmoreland Park, superintendent Miriam Mickelson said she recognized there was an absence of community engagement around the decision.
“I acknowledge that communication with our community and staff was lacking in this instance, and moving forward we are committed to improving our communication protocols to ensure greater transparency with our families and the community,” Mickelson said at the Wednesday, Aug. 6, school board meeting.
Jeff Mack, a parent of two children who used the playground, spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. He shared how his kids learned to crawl, climb, run and jump on the playground. Mack said as a parent of young children during the pandemic, the playground and others like it were “a lifeline.”…