NEWCASTLE – They say each new year comes with its own new challenges. However, it seems Newcastle faces the same old problems when it come to the state of our play parks.
Director of Community Services Parks, Recreation and Cemeteries, Vish Govender, said vandals who destroyed the play parks have completely exhausted the budget allocated to park repairs, and the municipality has resorted to removing damaged equipment, rather than repairing them.
Read: EXCLUSIVE – Community park laid to waste
“We can repair park equipment today, but guaranteed within a day, it will be damaged again! We are literally pleading with members of the public to stop vandalising our town’s parks.”
He said the municipality frequently repaired park equipment, and cleaned the grounds, but repairs and maintenance were futile.
Mr Govender recently visited the Crawford Street park, and was shocked when he noticed a couple of teenagers playing on equipment meant for toddlers. He took it upon himself to confront the teens and explained to them what they were doing was unacceptable.
“In cases such as this, it is very important to educate the youth about the repercussions of vandalising park equipment, and the long term effect it is going to have on Newcastle as a whole.”
Although a security guard was previously employed at the park, it had become financially draining.
“We cannot employ security guards to look after the parks. It is not how it should work. Residents should take it upon themselves to take care of the parks in their areas. This is a social ill, and should be addressed and dealt with as it occurs. Residents should report the problems as it’s taking place to Protection Services, who will then send the police out.”
He claimed unsupervised school children added to the vandalism, as the children would be dropped off at the parks and left unattended to. He said he had witnessed the damage these children had done to equipment.
“These children go wild, and why wouldn’t they? We all know what we did as children when we were left unattended.”
He predicted that in the next five years Newcastle would be void of all play parks, if users did not change their ways.
“We are removing damaged equipment from the parks now, and the rate things are going, there is not going to be a single play park left in this town, and that is not something we envision for Newcastle.”
Mr Govender appeals to residents to join forces with Ward 4 Councillor, Bertie Meiring, to form a community parks forum, and stand together to fight vandalism.
Cllr Meiring agreed conditions of the parks around Newcastle were unacceptable, and undertook to meet with councillors to address the ongoing destruction, neglect and vandalism of the parks.
If anyone is interested in joining the community park forum, SMS your name and number to Cllr Bertie Meiring on 084 406 4953.
Broken equipment, vandalism and other criminal activities can be reported on 034 328 7714, or Protection Services on 034 328 4700.
Must read on the website:
- Still no Silver lining for Silwer Street park
- Trim Park left in a state of disrepair
- Park of despair and disrepair
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