Kitchener man charged after fire at playground

Fire damages Kitchener playground A Kitchener playground is now off-limits because of a suspicious fire. Tyler Kelaher has the latest.

A Kitchener man has been charged with arson after playground equipment was set on fire earlier this week.

Waterloo Regional Police were called to the fire on Heritage Drive around 12:10 a.m. Tuesday.

Investigators determined the fire had been deliberately set, causing approximately $65,000 in damage.

Officers arrested an 18-year-old man from Kitchener on Thursday and charged him with arson – damage to property.

He’s due in court in December.

City staff are currently assessing the extent of the damage to determine how long it may take to repair the equipment.

For the time being, the equipment has been roped off with caution tape and city staff believe the full playground structure will need to be replaced. The estimated replacement cost comes in at $80,000 - $100,000.

The damaged structure will be removed and staff expect to have new playground equipment in place by 2025.