Play parks no longer hold the same joy for children as for those of yesteryear.
Children these days hide behind their video game consoles and cellphones, but who can blame them? Play equipment in various parks have either been vandalised or have been allowed to fall apart.
While parks such as the one at Amanath Centre reflects the image of what a park should look like and encourages youngsters to enjoy the outdoors, the remaining suburbs are not as fortunate.
A play park in Van Niekerk Street is allegedly being abused by men who consume alcohol and peep into neighbouring yards.
However, parks such as the one situated in Centre Street, Suryaville, have fallen into almost total disrepair with seemingly unsafe equipment.
In Tielman Roos Avenue, Barry Hertzog Park, beer cans, aged play equipment and the occasional motorcycle rider speeding through the play park are the order of the day.
During his budget speech on 24 March 2014, Newcastle Mayor, Afzul Rehman said the municipality planned seven parks with state-of-the-art equipment, including the upgrade of existing parks.
Ten months later the above mentioned play parks are still in a shoddy condition..
The municipality’s communication department was contacted for comment, but none was forthcoming at the time of going to print.
