‘Horrific, awful’: Edmonton children recovering after suspected bear spray incident on playground

A group of children playing at Dovercourt Park on Thursday afternoon were exposed to a suspected bear spray incident, prompting panic and screams from the playground.

Childcare programmer Jennifer Senoga, who was supervising the group, rushed outside after hearing the commotion and discovered at least eight children in distress near the playground equipment.

Senoga says the spray caused several kids to suffer eye irritation.

“Just screaming little kids, really upset, sore, red burning eyes, couldn’t see,” she said. “It was horrific, it was awful. It was really sad. They were scared.”

Emergency services were called to the scene. Firefighters hosed the playground down Thursday afternoon to remove any residue from the spray.

“Our neighbourhoods have always been an oasis for us,” said Senoga. “They’ve always been a safe place for our children to be.”

But some parents feel safety at the playground is gone from what was a friendly community.

“We moved here because this was a really safe community where our children could have less boundaries, they could bike ride by themselves, they could go to the park and they often do,” said, Julianna Van Soest, vice president Dovercourt Community League.

While the playground is not officially closed, the community league hopes barricade tape makes kids cautious.

For Senoga, the kids she looks after won’t be going into the park until at least next spring.

“I don’t feel safe because we don’t know really who’s doing it. Whether it’s adults, children… why they’re doing it.”