-
Ronnie Cubley goes down the rocket slide at Dixon Durant Park. Cubley visited the slide after learning the city was going to remove the slide while leaving the rocket intact. However, the city now says the rocket slide will be refurbished and will still include a slide. Photo provided -
The rocket slide is located at Dixon Durant Park and it has been a fixture so long that locals often call the park “Rocket Park. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat -
The rocket slide has been enjoyed by multiple generations for approximately 60 years. -
This is a rendition showing new playground equipment that will be installed at Dixon Durant Park, commonly called “Rocket Park.” Image provided | City of Durant -
This picture is from the top of the rocket slide at Dixon Durant Park. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
by citizens.
An iconic piece of playground equipment that has been a fixture at Dixon Durant Park for about six decades will be refurbished and stay grounded thanks to a successful social media campaign The rocket slide landed at the park in the 1960s and it has been the symbol of the park for so long that locals call the park “Rocket Park.”
It shares a common bond from Baby Boomers to Generation Z who went down the slide as children. The Silent Generation that preceded Baby Boomers has memories of it was well because of taking their kids to the park.
People on social media said the rocket may date back to 1963 while others said it was placed there in the later 1960s. It’s commonly called Cold War-era playground equipment due to the “space race” in the 1960s.
While the city now says the rocket slide will be refurbished and a slide will remain, that was not the original intention due to safety issues.
Last week, the city first said that although the rocket itself would remain, the slide was going to be removed and the rocket sealed so no one could enter it. Safety reasons were cited as the reason and an Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) audit of city parks discussed at a city council meeting in January 2016 revealed safety issues with older slides made of stainless steel which becomes very hot when exposed to sunlight.
OMAG stated in a memo that the city should consider removing the slide chute and if it is removed, a protective barrier should be installed in the opening to prevent falls. OMAG also stated, “This park has some vintage equipment that probably holds sentimental value to many citizens of Durant, but the equipment is antiquated and not up to industry standards.”
The change in the city’s plans happened after responses from citizens when The Democrat took pictures of the rocket and posted pictures on its Facebook page April 10 announcing the city’s intentions to decommission the rocket slide while keeping it at the park to preserve its history.
The post was shared more than 400 times by approximately noon on April 12. Former resident Veroncia Pope started an online petition to save the slide and her petition garnered 1,377 signatures.
Seana Scoggin Sutterfield said on the Democrat’s Facebook page, “Sixty years - kids have been sliding down that slide, including myself, and now it gets too hot? … Leave the historic things alone in our hometown!”
“Leave the slide alone,” commented David Coxsey. “We all went down it, our kids went down it, and future generations should get to enjoy it.”
Deborah Mullens Clements said there are only 10 rocket slides left in the U.S. “This makes me incredibly sad,” she wrote.
Melissa Wilson wrote of the multiple generations in her family that went down the slide.
“Four generations of my family have visited that place and slid down the slide,” she said. “I remember my dad holding me in the late 60s-early 70s and sliding with me. I spent many days there in the 70s. Took my daughters there in the 90s-2000s and I want to enjoy it with my granddaughters!”
Two days later after hundreds of comments from citizens who wanted to keep the slide, it was announced the parks department now plans to refurbish it and keep it as a functional piece of playground equipment although the existing slide could be replaced with a new one.
“The city will be looking at some possible alternative measures for the rocket slide,” City Manager Pam Polk said. “We believe the improvements will make the slide safer for our children while keeping the nostalgia and sentiment of the rocket slide. Our park director and I discussed sandblasting, painting, replacing all three metal platforms, covering bolts that may cause harm, and installing a shade structure to keep the metal slide from getting too hot. We believe this is all doable. Now to get the costs of our plan.”
Parks and Recreation Manager Ryan Brewer said the city is looking at different options on the slide but can’t say what the options are until receiving additional information from vendors.
Polk also has memories of the rocket slide and said her children played at the park when she previously lived in Durant.
“We lived right down the street,” she said. “I climbed up today and slid down. It was great fun.”
The city announced that new playground equipment will be installed at Dixon Durant Park and the track will be resurfaced at the Durant Multi-Sports Complex. Work on these projects began this week and they are expected to be completed by this summer.
“We are excited to have these projects done just in time for summer break,” the city said.