Play Park "May Not Be Worth Saving"

Article first published in the Western Gazette.

Wincanton Town Council could be set to accept defeat over a play park which has been destroyed by mindless vandals.

A roundabout and a set of swings have been removed from Rickhayes recreation ground after being wrecked by thugs. The council has now decided it will also remove the park's slide after vandals cut through the rubber, leaving a sharp strand of metal dangerously exposed.

The slide had been taped up, but after a contractor came and assessed the damage, councillors have been forced to make a drastic decision.

Colin Winder, mayor of Wincanton, said:

"We had a contractor who came to look at the slide to see if it was repairable, but they said it would only be a short-term measure, so we've got to move it.

"We're trying to work out what is the best way forward. It's unfair on the younger children because they are the ones who are going to suffer from this idiotic behaviour from a small minority in Wincanton.

"It has all become a bit devastating. There is a seething anger that has been caused by a small group of individuals. An option is to move the play park to a new location or to make it more difficult for people to get across the river and cut through the hedge. We need to look at all the alternatives."

The council is considering stopping funding new equipment to replace the vandalised items - and look set to accept defeat over the battle to save the play park.

The park has been earmarked for a £30,000 investment from the district council but, with a match-funding condition, it remains uncertain whether the town council are willing to give up a substantial amount of their tight budget.

Local resident Pat Roberts said:

"Like many parents and grandparents of young children I am angry at the senseless vandalism of the children's playground in Wincanton. However, I feel that some of the responsibility lies with the local authority who allowed a playground to be built poked away behind trees and away from public view.

"Would it not be a better idea to build a completely new playground, perhaps nearer to the skate park, in clear view and well lit so we can all be responsible for the playground and the people that use it?"

One mooted proposal is to create a new play area near the overgrown allotments close to the current Rickhayes site.

This article first appeared in the Western Gazette, but if you have a story you want published you can also send your press releases to Wincanton Window - we never run out of space so you can tell the whole story!

Comments

billie
Posts: 1

WHAT!
Reply #1 on : Sat September 01, 2012, 08:00:12

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Needless vandalism.Lost for words.

ABC
Posts: 1

PARK
Reply #2 on : Tue September 04, 2012, 14:42:21

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It's such a shame that the park looks in such a sorry state. As a wincanton resident all my life, I remember such happy memories playing at the park when I was younger with very little vandalism or damage.
It seems to me that the vandalism and destruction has increased in perfect sync with the growth of the town over the years. It's unfortunate and in part inevitible, but as a town we need to tackle the issue and restore what used to be such a lovely place to go.
I used to recall a tight policing of the park when I was a teen (particularly at night), and I certainly feel that this is no longer the case. I appreciate that better policing will never completely rule out vandalism, but a more pro-active approach and a even a naming and shaming policy needs to be adopted. Even making the park a no-go area after a certain time with on the spot fines could be considered? There are many possibilities and it would be good to hear what others think, because as a mother myself, I darent take my child down there incase of injury. We go to Yeovil instead, where it seems that they have a better system in place for protecting the parks and making it a lovely place for children to go (time to take a leaf out of their book?)

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