REDMOND, Wash. — Parents in Redmond have started a petition asking Redmond Town Center to close streets near the Sensory Garden Play area at Redmond Town Center.
On July 1, a 2-year-old girl was with a caretaker and ran out of the play area, through bushes and was hit by a car and killed.
"It hits home just because we've spent so many hours here. My kids are mobile so they're really fast and everything," said Adria DeForrest.
The petition calls for the mall to close parts of 164th Ave NE and more of NE 74th Avenue.
Parts of NE 74th Avenue were closed this year to make it a pedestrian promenade.
"I think it would definitely help. I love how that area is closed off so they can just let the kids roam free and not be as worried about car traffic," said DeForrest.
A spokesperson for the management company at Redmond Town Center said it is looking to add more of; children at play signs and install barriers by the entrance as a result of the tragic accident.
"It was, it really was a shock and a surprise nothing was here before," said Olena Vlasova, who brings her children to play at the playground.
Mall staff is also planning to meet with a safety expert next week to look at installing another barrier by the bushes where the 2 -year-old girl ran through.
"I totally think it's not safe like it is right now," said Vlasova.
However, Redmond Town Center says it has no plans to close the roads surrounding the play area, because they are needed for emergency vehicle access.
Mall management says the new barrier outside the playground gate will be installed within the next month.
On Friday afternoon, the petition had 309 online signatures.
Here's a link to the petition:
KIRO
