Melrose School Waiting To Open New Playground To Students Months After Tragedy

MELROSE, MA — A new playground structure is being installed at the Winthrop Elementary School months after a nine-year-old student was killed by a falling tree, but the area will remain closed as city officials await additional safety information.

The new playground equipment was delivered during the final week of September, and installation is now underway, Superintendent Cari Berman and Mayor Jen Grigoraitis said in a joint statement recently.

"We know that the playground will inspire complicated feelings in many members of the Winthrop School community, and we are grateful for your input and attention as we work through this together," Berman and Grigoraitis said.

Despite the progress, the playground will not immediately reopen for students. The city is still waiting for a certified arborist report examining trees on the neighboring Phineas Upham House property that could reach the Winthrop School grounds.

Once installation is complete, the fence running the length of the school property behind the basketball and playground areas will also be replaced. The Department of Public Works will oversee the project alongside a contracted fence company, with the work deliberately scheduled after the playground installation to prevent any damage to the new equipment.

The playground has remained closed since May, when nine-year-old Zakaria Bel-Qaid died after a tree from the neighboring property collapsed onto the playground. Another child and an adult were also injured.

Following the tragedy, the City Solicitor and DPW Director formally notified the neighboring property owner that a certified arborist needed to assess all trees on the property capable of reaching Winthrop School and provide the city with a copy of the report. City officials said they reiterated that request as installation of the new playground got underway.

The city's certified arborist has already reviewed all trees on Winthrop School property and completed any necessary trimming or removals prior to the beginning of the school year. The playground will remain closed until the city receives the report concerning the neighboring property and its own arborist has an opportunity to review the findings, according to Berman and Grigoraitis.

The previous playground structure was dismantled and removed following the fatal incident. Two separate swing sets remained standing at the time, while the playground continued to be closed off from public use.

The May accident occurred when a large tree from the neighboring Phineas Upham House property at 255 Upham St. fell onto the school playground shortly after 3 p.m. Bel-Qaid was transported to the hospital and later died from his injuries.

The Phineas Upham House was built in the early 18th century and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1990. Following the accident, Upham Family Society President Eda George said trees on the property were regularly inspected and that three other trees had been removed just days before the fatal collapse.

DPW removed the fallen tree from the school grounds later that day after State Police detectives completed their preliminary investigation.

Patch has reached out to the Upham Family Society for comment.

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