In response to a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (ABC) say they “do not hold information” that would provide the costs associated with repairing vandalism at its playparks.
The FOI was sent to council on June 4 after increased instances of anti-social behaviour and vandalism at children’s playparks started coming to the fore.
Taghnevan playpark – which in 2021 benefitted from £75,000 of investment – closed to the public in May of this year to allow extensive repair works to take place after it was reported that “every inch” of the park had been vandalised or damaged – including being tagged with “racist” graffiti.
Just this week Edenvilla playpark was regrettably added to the list of parks targeted. The award-winning Portadown park saw glass panels on a bridge in the ‘secret garden’ smashed through and copious amounts of rubbish dumped in a Koi Carp fish pond, resulting in the death of fish estimated to cost “over £5,000”.
The FOI received on July 2, revealed that ABC Council are responsible for a total of 101 play parks and 38 MUGAs (Multi-Use Games Areas).
In the last five years they say they have spent a whopping £2,875,073 in revitalisation, building and upgrading of those parks.
However, when asked for the figure relating to repair the parks as a result of vandalism or anti-social behaviour, council said they were unable to provide an answer as they had “searched their records” and found they “do not hold the information” described in the request.
Council were also asked if CCTV has been installed at any of the borough’s playparks, to which they answered “no”.
They were also asked if any council-run campaigns were in existence to help tackle anti-social behaviour at parks, to which they also answered “no”.
Additional questions asked which playpark had suffered the most damage (in terms of remedial cost) and, again, council were unable to provide a response.
