Yes, there used to be a large wooden climbing frame over there,” says the woman, pointing to a large sand hole.
She has been going to Günthersburgpark with her son for seven years.
About two years ago, several playground equipment were suddenly dismantled.
She doesn't know why.
Nor will they ever be rebuilt.
A call to the municipal parks office, which is responsible for the playgrounds.
The information: The playground equipment was getting old and could no longer be repaired.
Günthersburgpark is not an isolated case.
Frankfurt has almost 440 playgrounds and leisure facilities.
Again and again, the Parks Department has to remove playground equipment from the pitches because it is no longer safe and children could injure themselves while playing.
Some things can be repaired, but the office would have to replace many devices, i.e. buy new ones.
But apparently there is not enough time and money for that.
What often remains is a place with fewer playground equipment.
And remain city children who are poorer by a play opportunity.
On the “Frankfurt asks me” website, citizens can enter what they notice in the city area.
Among the entries are many reports about playgrounds: Some address the issue of dirt from dog excrement or graffiti, others point to a risk to children playing.
Quite a few have complaints about missing or locked play equipment.
Maintaining playgrounds is important
On the turntable playground in Kätcheslachpark on the Riedberg, the play equipment that gives it its name cannot be used.
It has been closed since early February.
Large construction fences stand around the turntable and prevent any fun.
The cable car of the playground has also been dismantled.
As children report, for several months.
And that's a long time for them.
Whether and when it can be expected that this playground equipment will be released again: That is neither on “Frankfurt asks me”, nor can the Parks and Gardens Department answer it.
The loose screws on the turntable have already been tightened again, but the responsible company is still waiting for the release to refill the fall protection surface around the playground equipment.
Ronald Bieber, former children's officer for the Riedberg, knows about the missing cable car and the locked turntable.
The nearby spider web playground on Johann-Beyer-Weg is also missing the plank wall for balancing, which was designed by students from the Riedberggymnasium.
Blame the lack of financial resources of the Parks Office, says Bieber.
The Parks Office states that the preservation of the playgrounds is "of great importance".
An in-house workshop is permanently busy with repairs.
However, there is a lack of money and staff for more than what is currently being done.
The effects cannot be ignored.
"You can complain about almost every playground in the whole city," says Christian Bischoff, a local advisory board member in Nordend.
It can't cost a fortune to hang up a swing again, for example.
Elsewhere, independent solutions are sought to offer the children something again.
For example in the Brentano Park.
"Politically, the playground was declared dead one day," says Rolf Rieckmann, the local children's officer.
With the support of the Frankfurt Children's Office and its "Spatz" playground action program, he wants to work on reviving the square.
With more than 70 play areas in Frankfurt and the surrounding area, this has already worked in cooperation with children, parents and local residents.
The playground in Brentanopark could be one of the next projects.
The funds are not enough
Susanne Langohr, Zeilsheim's children's representative, shows understanding for the city's playground makers.
"Things just take time," she says.
The green space office makes monthly inspections of the municipal playgrounds.
Each device is checked and blocked or removed if there are defects.
"That means the playgrounds in Frankfurt are safe.
That's the good thing."
Langohr knows how scarce city funds are.
The budget of the Parks Office has remained the same in recent years, "but there have been many more mandatory tasks." The office urgently needs more money.
"If Frankfurt wants to be a family-friendly city, it has to be given more priority." Until then, she calls for a traffic light system for the playgrounds that shows what is happening with the missing playground equipment.
Red could mean that a device is broken, yellow that the agency is dealing with the case, and green that it is being repaired or replaced.
Because children, parents and caregivers should know that the city is taking care of them.
Even if it is still uncertain when a remedy will be created.
Otherwise, the displeasure of all playground users is great.
A simple information sign would also help, says Langohr.
Meanwhile, the Parks Department has announced that it will design signage that will tell people that devices have been removed and why.
A traffic light system could not be implemented due to a lack of capacity.
According to the officials, a new play area is now planned for Günthersburgpark.
However, due to delivery difficulties, it could still be a while before children could climb on it.