Exeter vandals target new playground
VANDALS have wreaked havoc in a park built for children with disabilities.
Bottles, broken glass and litter has been strewn across the ground and a wooden shelter has been defaced by graffiti.
A bin at the site has been set alight and three slats have been kicked out of a play-fort.
Now police have pledged to step up patrols in the area and monitor the park with CCTV cameras.
Thousands of children — with and without disabilities — have played in the park at King George V Playing Fields, Countess Wear, since it was officially opened in March.
It includes sensory play equipment such as a sandpit and 5ft musical chimes, as well as traditional swings, slides and roundabouts which are accessible by wheelchair.
Miriam Guard had the idea for the park while volunteering at the Exeter branch of Mencap, a charity which supports people with learning disabilities. Having worked hard raising £220,000 to fund her vision through a lottery grant and other charities, Miriam said she was devastated by the damage.
She said: “I am extremely disheartened. It’s the only play park in Exeter for people with disabilities to use.
“These vandals are creeping in under the cover of darkness and deliberately spoiling it. They have no understanding of the hurt they are causing to some of the most vulnerable children in our society — but how can we appeal to their better nature?
“The damage they have caused will cost up to £10,000 to sort. Every penny spent on replacing equipment could have paid for exciting new pieces like a ground-level trampoline. It’s very sad.”
The police are putting measures in place to stop any repeat assaults on the play park.
PCSO Percy Giles said: “We’re trying our best to discourage this behaviour in the future. We’re putting up a CCTV camera and lighting. And, when we patrol the area, we will make sure that we walk through the park.
“There’s also PACT (Partners and Community Together) — a group of six police officers dedicated to community issues. They’ll make looking after the park a high priority.
“I think this happened because kids were bored but that is no excuse whatsoever. This is such a special playground — disabled children and their families come for miles to play in this area.”
PC Kevin Wetherell added: “This is very annoying from the point of view of the police and the many users of the park.
“The facility was entirely funded by charitable bodies which makes this situation even more frustrating. There’s no reason at all for people to be so senseless and spoil the park for the whole community.”
5 Comments
by Jill Pendleton, Chagford
Tuesday, August 25 2009, 5:10PM
“I run the website for the Playpark as a gift to Miriam who has worked tirelessly to get this wonderful play space up and running.
The trouble is that children today, and they are children have nothing to occupy themselves with. As a child we went around in the local gang but the older kids looked after the younger kids and because we didn't have much, we respected what we did have.
If only these louts could be made to spend a day with some of the more disadvantaged children, then their natural compassion would come to the fore, and they wouldn't help but feel that they would like to help. But with today's Uk nanny state who is going to challenge these children and ask them to give some of their time in return. They have got the upper hand, but it is not doing them any good.
In the old days, if a youth was messing about, the local bobby would take him aside and have a word. I can remember my brother being marched to our front door by the local policeman, and telling my parents what he had been up to. My Dad made my brother apologise, and when the bobby left us, my Dad gave my brother a damn good wallop.
And when my Dad had finished with him, my Mum didn't molly coddle him, she told him that she was ashamed of him, and if she caught him misbehaving again, then she would give him what for too.
It never happened again, because my brother knew his limits.
When my children were little I smacked them if they misbehaved. Not often of course, because the threat of a smack was enough. They tell me these days that they never thought I was anything but fair, and that they never felt threatened at any time.
What poor parents these thugs who have done damage to the playpark have, that they have not taought their children right from wrong, and the precious gift of caring for others. What a sad state of affairs we are in.
I pity Miriam having to deal with this mindless aggression, but this is the society we have built for ourselves.”
by Pat, Honiton
Saturday, July 25 2009, 4:31PM
“I agree with Jan, these young people should be made to make appropriate recompence for what they have done. ABSO don't work so if they were made to help people less fortunate maybe it would sink in how far reaching their actions are.”
by jan, Bahrain
Thursday, July 23 2009, 6:13PM
“this is sickening & disheartening for many families. If it was possible to finf out who was responsible, i would make the pay for & help do the repairs, & make it so that they had to spend their holidays helping those that are less fortunate than themselves. Then again what they did wrong would still probably not sink into their thick arrogant heads.”
by t, Exeter
Thursday, July 23 2009, 2:58PM
“What ever happend to respecting things????
i have used this park many times and the kids love it, shame others cant see how much of a family/friend place this is!! who could do such a thing, obviously very selfish!”
by georgina herbert, exeter
Thursday, July 23 2009, 11:21AM
“mindless thugs they should be ashamed of themselves”