Parents in Richmond are calling on the city to reconsider its bylaw allowing remote-controlled model airplanes to fly in Manoah Steeves Park after a close in encounter with one child in the playground.
Dawning Zhang was playing with her daughter on the park's monkey bars Sunday evening when a model plane crashed just a few feet from them—leaving a deep gash in the ground.
"My daughter was playing in the playground—it could hit her," Zhang told CTV News. "It came really hard and really fast… it could be fatal."
Incidents with model airplanes have been fatal elsewhere. In 2013, a man was killed in Germany when a model aircraft flew into his head. Ten years earlier, a 13-year-old girl died in the U.K. when a large model airplane hit her.
Richmond City Council banned flying remote controlled airplanes in all city parks three years ago except for a specially designated field in Manoah Steeves Park. It gave a local flying club oversight on their use. Rules include staying 30 metres away from buildings and playgrounds.
But local parents don't think the park, with a school and a playground, is an appropriate place to fly the model airplanes, especially when they break the rules.
"I've noticed increasingly over the years that the planes have become bolder and bolder," Revina Kullar Bains told CTV News. "They're flying over homes, outside of the restricted area and I'm quite concerned about the safety."
Glen Mueller is the president of the flying club, and he's concerned as well.
"We take this incident very seriously," he said. "That's the type of thing that we absolutely don't want to have happen."
He said a pilot with the club has been suspended and that they're investigating the incident.
Mueller believes that as long as pilots follow the rules, airplanes and people can coexist.
"Hundreds of flights have happened in this park without incident. We generally have a rule that keeps aircraft away from people and property."
Malcolm Brodie, the mayor of Richmond, also thinks the field at Manoah Steeves Park is a good home for the hobby.
"This is a good spot because it's a very large field and it's a place where the planes can do whatever they do, flying around," he said. "As long as it's controlled."
He says the mothers' concern is valid, but believes the city can work with the flying club to make sure they're flown safely.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Scott Roberts.
