CPS to replace playground at Nixon Elementary after arsonists set fire to it

CHICAGO - After an apparent arson burned their beloved playground, neighbors, community leaders, the alderman and police met at Nixon Elementary School in the Hermosa neighborhood to discuss how to rebuild. 

"Some kids are angry, some kids are sad," said Briceyra Zermeno, a mother in the neighborhood. "So [many] emotions." 

"It was a brand new playground, and here we are. It just got burned down," said fellow parent Edwin Torres.

At a community meeting Thursday afternoon, police said the arsonist likely used cardboard and an accelerant to burn and melt the playground, which had been newly-rebuilt in 2018, after a long and difficult fundraising effort.

"I don't know who would do this. It's really just an ugly thing to have done," said 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. "I think what was particularly sad is that our community came together after CPS failed to make improvements to the playground for more than 10 years, our community came together to fix that playground in 2018."

But this time, CPS announced it will be stepping in to help.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 NEWS APP FOR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

"The loss of the Nixon Elementary playground is tragic news for a school community that came together in 2018 to build it," said CPS Spokesperson Mary Ann Fergus in a statement. "Chicago Public Schools was on site Wednesday morning to assess the damages and has committed to replacing the playground in collaboration with Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and the Hermosa community."

CPS has promised to have the damage cleaned up by the end of this weekend and is already in talks with an architect to design a new playground in time for spring of 2022. 

As for preventing this kind of thing from happening again, the alderman says cameras and fencing are possibilities. 

Meantime, if you have any information on who might be responsible for the arson, you're asked to contact police.