County Council decided unanimously to remove the Cleveland Park train

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For decades, a miniature train ran a circuit around the Cleveland Park playground. The train derailed in March 2011, killing 6-year-old Benji Easler and severely injuring several other children when it toppled down a rocky embankment because of excess speed. After the wreck, the train stopped running and two months later, the playground equipment was declared unsafe and removed.

For three and a half years, the play area of the park has been dormant. With litigation recently settled, Spartanburg County unveiled plans to bring the area back to life – without the train. In the plans shown to the public on Thursday, a walking trail replaces the train tracks.

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Sammy Burnett of Spartanburg has followed news reports since the tragic accident involving the train in Cleveland Park, and he isn't convinced that retiring the train is the right thing to do. “It was very tragic, and I'm so sorry for everyone involved. I can't imagine the pain and loss of those involved, but when there is a tragic accident on one of our highways or roads, we don't close those roads so nobody can use them again,” he points out. “When there is a tragic accident on a lake, pond or pool, we don't close them down so nobody can use them. We try to make these things safer for all folks so they can use them safely. I'm 67 and have lived in Spartanburg all my life. As a young child, I rode the train, my children rode the train, my grandchildren rode the train and I hoped my great-grandchildren could ride the train, but our leaders seem to want to push our history away to try to make up for this tragedy. Could we not hire inspectors for the train? Could we not hire responsible operators to run the train? There is not another time that I can remember such a tragedy with our train. Why would we put an end to such an important part of our lives due to one accident?”

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The train will not return to Cleveland Park, Spartanburg County Council decided unanimously during Monday's regular meeting.

With little discussion among council members and no public comment from attendees, council approved the concept designs for Cleveland Park and Berry Field as presented by the Parks Department.

“It is the strong desire of Spartanburg County Council to see Cleveland Park move forward without the train,” Councilman Michael Brown said in his motion for the livability committee to accept the plans.