I got back from holiday recently to discover that the Stationers Park children’s playfort has been badly vandalised – and twice set on fire. I took a look on Sunday (see picture) and have contacted the Council to demand an urgent meeting with the Head of Parks to find out what is going to be done to improve security – and to repair or replace the fort.
Its terrible that this popular play feature has been ruined during the middle of the summer holidays. When I visited the park was full of local kids and families. Local residents are rightly very angry and the Hornsey Journal has run the story on its front page.
But what makes me even angrier is the complacency of the Council. Local residents have been warning Haringey for months that their decision to scrap the Parks Police has left the green space vulnerable once the local Safer Neighbourhood police team finish their shift. I’ve had numerous complaints about the Council and police not taking action when kids break into the park at night, causing disturbance and noise for residents of Mayfield Road and Denton Road.
Yet with all these problems to sort out Haringey decides to hold a self-congratulatory ‘green flag’ ceremony in the park this week.