(Video by Wade Perry)
RCMP are investigating a suspicious fire that caused extensive damage to playground equipment at Fairview Knoll Park in Moncton.
RCMP received the call at about 11:40 p.m. on Friday, and when they arrived on scene, Moncton firefighters had already extinguished the fire, said Sgt. Mathieu Roy.
The playground was built last summer as part of a new community park that included an accessible playground area with a rubber surface, large splash pad, skating rink in the winter, shuffleboard, asphalt trails, park benches, a shade shelter, basketball court and new shade trees.
Parents and kids have been looking forward to using it this spring as the weather warms up, said Courtney MacDonald, who took her three-year-old daughter to the park Friday only to learn that later that night it had been set on fire.
"It's really upsetting, as a parent," she said. "My daughter loved going there. It's almost disgusting, really, for someone to do that to child's park."
Roy said there were no accelerants found on scene.
He said anyone with information about the fire should call Codiac RCMP or Crime Stoppers.