Sandbox at Stone Mountain Park Playground Closed for Health Reasons

Feral cats, snakes, cicada wasps, even soiled diapers found in Stone Mountain Park playground's last remaining sandbox all led to the decision to cover up the popular pit with grass.

"It became a matter of public health," Stone Mountain Memorial Association (SMMA) CEO Bill Stephens told Patch.

To children, the sandbox was another way to enjoy the playground, whose centerpiece is a large wooden structure which includes slides, tubes, and climbing features.

To wild cats, it was a litter box; to cicada wasps, it was a home, Stephens said. Occassionally a snake would be found slithering about in the area.

Of course it's no wonder that these creatures are around, given the park's abundant natural areas (SMMA maintains about has 3,000 or so acres, Stephens said).

But then there were some things one can't blame on animals, such as the sandbox being used as a receptacle for dirty diapers -- even though there are several trash cans around the playground.

Stephens said there's been one complaint about the loss of the sandbox in the five weeks it's been closed.

The playground used to have two sandboxes. The one to the right as you came through the gate was covered up several years ago.