There is a truly gigantic gum tree

in the local playground. A red gum, it sits right in the very middle of the diagonal pathway. It is a lovely tree - but it is also a very dangerous one. We were very, very fortunate nobody was underneath when it lost a limb yesterday.
The limb itself was the size of a big tree, far bigger than any of the surrounding street trees. It was lying there when I went past first thing in the morning. Returning later in the day I saw the council men at work clearing it away. The very fact that they had moved so rapidly was an indication of the potential danger.
The men were wearing ear muffs and safety goggles. They were using a chain saw and one of those gigantic mulching machines. Both make so much noise that I sped fast as fast as I could - but not before I noticed a man and two small children playing on the climbing frame in the corner of the playground.
Now, I am sorry but the playground should have been closed for a short period. It simply was not safe to be in there. The noise alone was too great. There were also woodchips flying everywhere. I also noticed another branch hanging, probably brought down by the bigger one falling.
The tree is probably older than any of the buildings in the area - and the church up the hill is almost as old as the state itself, so are some of the other buildings. There will be calls to have it removed soon.
What should have happened however was the removal of the children. The potential damage to their hearing was as immense as the potential danger to their overall safety. I am quite certain they would not have been there with a mother.