Danger to children – almost 67 degrees: playgrounds glow in the heat!

Children should be able to play carefree on the city playgrounds, especially in the summer and during the holiday period. But alas – in many places there is no shade.

Glowing trampoline mat
This is also the case in Wiener Seestadt, where many families live. Of the entire asphalt desert, however, the playgrounds are the hottest. This was the result of a tour of the citizens’ initiative Süsenbrunner Straße on a hot day like today. The thermal imager (see graph) showed up to 59.6 degrees. The trampoline mat has broken the record. With almost 60 degrees, kids won’t be jumping around on it for long.

The slide also glows at 52.3 degrees. “Children burn their butts,” warns environmental doctor Hans-Peter Hutter. No wonder, then, that the playground was abandoned when the local inspection was carried out. And even the mist shower next door doesn’t cool down noticeably.

But not only in Seestadt, the playgrounds for the little ones are real ovens in the heat. It also really glows in the inner cities of Vienna. On the playground in the city park, the Greens measured no less than 66.7 (!) degrees on the bark mulch floor, also with a thermal imaging camera.

Risk of sunburn and heat stroke
It wasn’t much better in the Rathauspark. There are plenty of trees and shady spots there, but none of them shade the children’s play area. It was 52 degrees here and 46 degrees on the slide. Children and caregivers are at risk of sunburn, heat stroke and burns here.

The solution, according to the eco-party: Plant large-crowned trees in playgrounds and short-term canopies to cool sandboxes.