GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP/WXMI)— An oversized tire swing is back in downtown Grand Rapids after a 30-month absence.
The attraction on the lawn behind the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building has been overhauled to make it safer than it was when it broke in September 2013 while two children were on it, injuring them.
The new swing was tested to hold 30,000 pounds, and the tire itself is 7 feet wide.
Kristopher Larson, President and CEO of Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., says it took a lot of hard work and persistence to repair the Grand Rapids icon.
"It's taken quite a bit of time to get to this day, to celebrate the return of the swing. But definitely thanks to the mayor's office who responded to our organization and the community at large who really wanted to see this repaired," Larson said.
The swing has been a fixture in Grand Rapids since the '70s.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
