BEND, Ore. -- Bend Park and Recreation District removed a memorable piece of playground equipment at Harmon Park this week. The boat had been a fixture in the park for decades and was recently fenced off for evaluation by staff.

“The old boat at Harmon is beloved by community members and our staff, so we know this is disappointing,” said Michelle Healy, BPRD's executive director. “The boat was repurposed from the start and was showing its age and years of use, which doesn’t meet standards for modern playgrounds.”

The boat at Harmon Park playground has been in use for more than 50 years. In 1974, park district employee Ken Lehto repurposed a lifeboat and converted it into the play tugboat structure. The boat was named PS Happy Harmon by 10-year-old Tim Carpenter, who won a naming contest.

Several generations of children enjoyed playing on the structure; however, "the boat has reached the end of its life," the park district said Thursday. "It does not meet current playground standards and has chipping paint, rust and exposed metal that gets very hot."

BPRD staff inspect all playgrounds regularly, including Harmon Park. They were made aware of concerns related to heat on the metal and the condition of the surface paint, so more evaluation was conducted

Staff researched options and the decision was made to remove the boat, which is one of several pieces of playground equipment at the park. All other play features will continue to be available there.

“We wish to continue welcoming families to enjoy the playground at Harmon Park,” added Healy.

BPRD Community Engagement Director Julie Brown told the Bugle: "It was a difficult decision to remove it."

"Our next step will be to evaluate the space, to see if another smaller piece of playground equipment may be considered in its place," Brown said. "That hasn't been determined yet. We have the pirate ship at nearby Columbia Park, so that's the best other nautical playground in the community."

Acquired by Bend Kiwanis with a donation from New York philanthropist William Harmon, Harmon Park is located along the Deschutes River across the river from Drake Park.

BPRD has 47 playgrounds across the community for a variety of play options and features. Last year, Harmon Park had approximately 40,000 visits last year according to data collected.

A park locator is available on the park district website.