South Cook News

Flossmoor School District 161 recently held a school board meeting where playground construction projects were on the agenda, and Superintendent Dr. Dana Smith told the board that some projects are delayed due to supply chain issues.

“The other playground projects have not started yet,” Smith said during a meeting on June 13 that was posted on YouTube. “We want to make sure that we see the actual materials before we start to dig up anything on the campuses. Just with the supply chain issues that we've had; we think that's the safest way to move forward. But we have started on all the asphalt projects, and I feel like every little piece of good news may have a little bit of bitter on the back end of it. But we started on the asphalt projects, and we ran into an issue with a limestone quarry and a strike in Thornton. And so, since that provides the bedrock for the playgrounds and all of those pieces, those projects have been put on hold.”

The district includes Parker Junior High, Flossmoor Hills Elementary, Heather Hill Elementary, Serena Hills Elementary and Western Avenue Elementary. 

Other schools in Illinois have experienced similar problems regarding supply chain issues with things like acquiring sports equipment. 

In April, the Rockford Register Star reported that Illinois high schools have had trouble acquiring sports equipment like baseballs, due to increase in costs and delays in delivery. Rockford Boylan baseball coach Matt Weber told the Register Star that prices have gone up no matter where they search. He also said he ordered baseball hats at the beginning of January, and they still haven’t received them.

“It’s a problem I don’t see a solution to any time soon,” Weber told the Register Star.

The Chicago Park District has also been impacted by supply chain delays for purchasing playground equipment, according to a report by CBS News in December. On Chicago’s Southwest Side, Marquette Park fell into disrepair last summer as it had broken slides and missing steps. In September, city employees boarded up the park and removed any broken equipment. There were some minor changes, but improvements stopped due to the supply chain problems. 

Alderman David Moore told CBS News that the supply chain issues were holding up the installation of equipment like new slides, which Chicago Park District confirmed as well.