View Full Version : Closing playparks madness
Did you see the article in the Courier (page 7, Wed April 27) regarding the possiblity of selling off playparks as the council does not have the money to maintain the equipment?!
This beggars belief! At a time when the whole country is talking about obesity in children and encouraging them to play outside our council wants to reduce the opportunity to do so!
When is this council going to realise that if you have facilities (just like the Assembly Rooms in Wick) you need to budget the money to maintain them not just wait until they fall apart then sell them off! Mr. Guest's comments were diabolical - there was no effort on his part to improve this situation, he has just washed his hands of it. Is it not part of his job to ensure that this type of situation should not arise?
The councillers deferred decision until public consultation had been made - I don't know what form this will take but I urge you to start protesting now! This is a shameful way to treat resources which are there for our children. :mad:
I'm with you fifi. Who do they intend to sell them to? A private firm who charges the children to use them? or as building land? I didn't see the article. I feel annoyed enough about planning permission granted to create concrete jungles with not a playpark in sight, not even a grassy area for kids to play. I think for, lets say every twenty houses built, there should be at least one play area.
But to sell them off!!!!!!
And while I'm at it I must have a grumble about the Rosebank playing fields in Wick. The crazy golf is disgusting! All rusty and falling to bits as is the wooden climbing frame. And if any child happened to fall into the murky water beneath the trampolines they'd probably catch typhoid!
Alananders68
29-Apr-05, 16:35
Disgusting, but that's the council for you. Funny though how they always find money to waste.
Maybe you should start a rumour that the Queen mother is coming to Wick to visit the playing fields because I had to laugh a fortnight ago when they thought Prince Charlie was coming, they found money to get all the council workers in on overtime to clean the place up and how much did it cost to set up all them railings and stuff.
Have you seen the expenses that councillors are getting as well for attending pointless meetings :confused , and look at the obscene reserves the council has built up from council tax money [evil]
Whitewater
01-May-05, 21:04
I agree with all of you on this. The council does no maintenance on the parks, lets the equipment all rust and rot, then claim it is unsafe and rip it out.
The 'Bear Park' correct name?? in Wellington Ave which was built by the youth club is to have a skateboard thing (I don't know the name) added, which is great for the kids, but I think it may be the Pulteney Town Project people who are doing this not the council.
Only trouble with this park for young children is its proximity to the road to the old coastguard station, a few of the younger generation use this at times to check the acceleration of their cars and motor bikes.
The residents have protested on numerous occations and have asked for speed bumps to be put in the road but all to no avail. There is a high possibility that some child could be seriously hurt or killed on this road especially once the skateboard thing is erected as children from all over the town will be attracted to it.
I agree its terrible and to be honest they really need more parks with small skateboard rinks to accomadate the teenagers.If they have a problem maintaining the parks then what about all the people that commit crime they could maintain it with there community service instead of giving them £50 fine
SandTiger
02-May-05, 00:48
I agree its terrible and to be honest they really need more parks with small skateboard rinks to accomadate the teenagers.If they have a problem maintaining the parks then what about all the people that commit crime they could maintain it with there community service instead of giving them £50 fine
How about the local community taking the play areas on, not ideal I know, but just a thought?
After all, don't skate boarders commit all crimes?? :D
I agree with all of you on this. The council does no maintenance on the parks, lets the equipment all rust and rot, then claim it is unsafe and rip it out.
The 'Bear Park' correct name?? .
I think that's the 'Grizzly Challenge'.
I
The residents have protested on numerous occations and have asked for speed bumps to be put in the road but all to no avail. There is a high possibility that some child could be seriously hurt or killed on this road especially once the skateboard thing is erected as children from all over the town will be attracted to it.
They've also asked for speed bumps after a carload of youngsters went over the cliff. The road to the trinkie is still used as a speedway, and still no speed bumps, or barriers along the cliff tops.
As for the play parks - the 'nold' was financed by a committee set up for this purpose. Is it still operational or have they disbanded now? I have a bit more time on my hands and would certainly support any move to improve the parks. At one of the meetings i attended it was proposed to raise money for a skate board area in the green road park, but someone said the residents in the area would object because of the noise. This I think is ridiculous as anyone who buys a house next to a playground has to expect noise - and young lads play football there as long as it's daylight anyway.
Years ago many teenagers went in for motor bike scrambling in the thistle park area but all that was stopped because a resident complained about the noise. no wonder the kids complain about having nothing to do, when there is so little tolerance around.
We have the space - we should do what's best for the young not the the grumpy owld men!
Hi sand tiger but the only reason the skaters performing there tricks around town on railings and on other objects is because they have no were to go.They have built a few skateboard rinks what has all the ramps and objects for them to practice on as well rinks for them to do the same with there bikes in aberdeen and its popular.I think its a good idea because a lot of places in caithness are lacking in things to do for teenagers
Alananders68
02-May-05, 10:48
no wonder the kids complain about having nothing to do, when there is so little tolerance around.
We have the space - we should do what's best for the young not the the grumpy owld men!
Spot on! There is no tolerance from some of the adults, there is a grumpy couple in my street who complain about every little thing, they complained to the council about kids playing football in the street and asked for a football prohibited sign to be put up, they complain about kids being on the pavement with bikes and skateboards, they complain about the noise and the one that makes them really petty is the time they complained over a couple of 6 year olds having a water pistol fight because they claimed that the water landed on their path and could make it slippy (obviously rain never lands on their path :roll: ). Nothing wrong with a little bit of noise, kids will always be kids and should be free to enjoy themselves so long as they are just playing and not causing trouble.
I don't agree with speed bumps though, whoever invented those things should be shot. Speed bumps just damage your car, even going over them at a snails pace will put increased wear and tear on your car and especially if you have a very low exhaust.
How about the local community taking the play areas on, not ideal I know, but just a thought?
:eek: Why should the local communities take it on when we are already paying more than enough council tax. And once you go down that road, it would only give the council bosses ideas, and how long before they'd try to get local communities taking on more of what should be council responsibility
Whitewater
02-May-05, 12:34
Katrina, thanks for keeping me right, I knew it had something to do with bears.
I'm glad you agree there is a traffic problem in the area, alananders thinks speed bumps to drastic, he could be right but we need traffic control and the 30mph limit has no effect. a few well placed speed bumps would have the desired effect provided enough warning notices were displayed.
Whitewater
02-May-05, 12:38
Kararina my apologies for misspelling your name in the previous post
Whitewater
02-May-05, 12:39
I'll need to watch my typing just done it again Katarina
~~Tides~~
02-May-05, 12:42
How about the local community taking the play areas on, not ideal I know, but just a thought?
Ist that what the council is for?!?!? [mad] [mad] [mad]
in certain areas of teh town speed bumps would be ideal.. and out towards the trinkie.. where it is exrtemly dangerous.. and a park.. where many young children familys and animals always are.. wouldbe the perfect place for them! as we all know the folk young and old take that road a lot faster than it should be taken.. and as people pull up to let their dogs out to run... just think of someone coming round the corner to fast..
unfourtunatly children tend not to pay attention to road rules and ride their bikes and play in the street not thinking about the cars.. so as motorists we have to be extra careful .. and speed bumps do not do any real damage to cars unless you go over them like mad.. its more damamging to pull your car half up on the pavments than going slowly over a speed bump..
i was out driving today.. and what a loverly day it is as well!!!
and kids are everywhere... was needing eyes all over my heed to see em all!
so going slow is a must not a maybe.. when you only think you need to.. saw a little boy on a scooter by himself couldnt have been anymore than 3.. how can he know not to go into the street?
and how would you see a little one like that in time to advoid him if he came out from behind the car!
wont even go into where were his parents.. *grins*
the only problem is - if you are travelling in an ambulance and have to go over speed bumps.......I think that is the arguement.
There is another group that has done fundraising for the play parks. They were the ones responsible for getting "The Nold" all kitted out. Alan Tait is the chairperson and along with others they managed to get funding from the lottery and also raised money themselves to get all the equipment for the park, even collecting at Acadamy Matches. As far as I am aware this group is still running with a view to do (I think?) the Green road park as well.
Local businesses donated very well for this too.
The Council then added some of the equipment earmarked for the Bignold to the Green Road Playing fields.
Another item everyone may be interested in is that the King George Playing Fields(Green Road Park) did have money in a trust fund that was never collected by the Council body to further the upkeep of the playing field, but the date ran over before we found out about it. I do not know if any other money is still available from the fund.
~~Tides~~
03-May-05, 22:33
the only problem is - if you are travelling in an ambulance and have to go over speed bumps.......I think that is the arguement.
You wouldnt be traveling fast in an ambulance. Ambulances dont travel fast on the return journey.
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