(St. Joseph,MO) Construction on the all-abilities playground at Bartlett Park has hit a bump in the road.

Parks Director Chuck Kempf said Wednesday morning construction crews noticed holes in the freshly laid asphalt surface of the playground and chunks of asphalt on the new playground equipment. Kempf suspects someone jumped the orange construction fence, walked through the fresh asphalt and climbed onto the new play structure.

The play structure has been in the works for the last year and was expected to be opened in time for Memorial Day weekend, but now the completion date will be pushed back.The $500,000 playground is being funded by a grant from the Land Water Conservation Fund and the city’s capital improvement funds.

“It’s taken about a year and a half, hopefully we’re going to be open next week. We’re getting close. A lot of people think it’s open already but it’s not, it’s still a construction site. We are hopeful that we might have it open by next Tuesday, the day after Memorial day,”Kempf said.

Park officials said the construction site will be under additional surveillance until the park is completed. If you see anyone suspicious inside the construction zone at Bartlett Park, contact the St.Joseph Police Department at 816- 271-4777 or the Parks Department at 816-271-5501.