Letter to the Evening Post - Play Areas (Paul Harrod)

Letter to the Evening Post - Play Areas

January 5, 2008 12:00 AM

Dear Sir,

It is excellent news that the Council has earmarked up to £2 million a year for new play areas, and improvements to existing parks, (Evening Post, 5th January).

There is a shortage of play areas in Bristol. I have been campaigning for a new play area in Brentry, (to pick just one example), which is an area of our city with many young children and nowhere for parents and young children to go to without crossing main roads or driving to get there.

I hope the Council will consult with local people to find out the best sites to place new play areas. In my view residents are better placed to decide where to locate facilities of this type than planners in the Council House! This new investment will inspire many local residents' groups to have their say.

The Council needs to ensure that new play areas are properly maintained however. That means grass cut, bins provided, fences mended. There is a very large play area on Springfield Road in Shirehampton but it is in an appalling state of repair. A teacher at the local primary school told me that he has had to scour the grass for broken glass before allowing his pupils to play football there. Mine and his requests for a new fence has been ignored.

Welcome though this new money is if the Council is serious about investing in new play areas, there must be a corresponding commitment to maintain and repair them in the future too.