Crackdown is planned after vandalism at playgrounds

Crackdown is planned after vandalism at playgrounds

7 November 2012

DOWN Council is to get tough with troublemakers terrorising people who live close to local authority-owned playgrounds across the district.

Beefed up bye-laws governing the use of playgrounds are currently being drawn up and could be introduced in the near future, once they have been approved by the Department of Environment.

Fines of up to £500 could be imposed on troublemakers entering playgrounds after designated closing times which the new bye-laws are set to spell out.

The news was confirmed at Monday night’s meeting of Down Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee when Downpatrick councillor Éamonn Mac Con Midhe referred to recent trouble caused by young people at the town’s Knocknashinna playground in the town.

Residents in the area have been forced to run a gauntlet of abuse from teenagers who gather at the playground where new play equipment costing in the region of £250,000 has been vandalised on several occasions.

Councillor Mac Con Midhe said the bye-laws must determine when people are not allowed in the playgrounds and hopes this would help reduce the trouble teenagers are causing.

He said there have been reports of trouble at a number of council playgrounds across the district and that troublemakers are not only operating in Downpatrick.

“These young people are gathering at night and drinking alcohol and that’s when the problem arises. It’s an issue we must address and police officers also have a key role to play,” he said.

Under current legislation, police officers are not permitted to ask anyone to leave a council-owned playground unless they are seen committing an offence. It’s a situation councillors want changed.

Councillor Stephen Burns said there are also problems with young people congregating at the Wood Grove play area in Castlewellan and at the Downs Road playground in Newcastle.

Councillor Terry Andrews said the new bye-laws must send out a clear message to the troublemakers that enough is enough. “Down Council must work closely alongside other agencies, in particular the PSNI, to stamp this issue out once and for all.”

Councillor Anne McAleenan expressed concern about imposing a limit on the time when young people can access council-owned playgrounds. She said she’s aware of some play parks used after dark where there is no trouble.

“The bye-laws may help an area like Knocknashinna, but the problems there are not the same in other areas. I would much rather see young people playing in our parks at night than out making mischief. We have to be realistic and give our young people some latitude,” she added.

It was agreed on Monday night that the new playground bye-laws should be forwarded to the district’s Police and Community Safety Partnership for further discussion.