Playground equipment torched by thugs

A STATE-OF-THE-ART slide worth

?¬70,000 has been torched by vandals less than two weeks after it was installed at a kids’ playground in Dublin 15.

Local parents and children were disgusted and disappointed to learn that the costly tower slide was set alight in Millennium Park, Coolmine.

The mindless vandalism attack occurred on Saturday, October 27, just hours after school kids went on their mid-term break, leaving the new and popular addition to the playground closed for use.

Thousands of children used the tower slide in the two weeks after it was installed. It is one of two such slides provided in Fingal playgrounds.

Ironically, the arson attack occurred during National Recreation Week, which is aimed at supporting and promoting exercise and recreation as an integral part of children’s lives.

Local Sinn Fein representative Paul Donnelly expressed his shock and anger at the malicious arson attack.

“The new slide was a superb addition to what is already one of the best parks in the city,

? he told Northside People.

“The slide is a wooden structure and it caught fire very rapidly causing massive damage and it appears that the blaze was deliberately set underneath the stairs part of the structure.

?

Mr Donnelly commended the fire brigade for arriving on the scene in time to prevent the total destruction of the slide. He also praised Fingal County Council’s parks department for constantly upgrading the region’s parks’ facilitates.

?We as a community must play our part in ensuring that our facilities are not damaged or destroyed,

? Mr Donnelly added.

“I am calling on anyone who has any information to please pass it on.

“This attack on our community facilities needs to be challenged and those who did this must be held accountable.

?

A spokesperson for Fingal County Council confirmed that the brand new slide was deliberately set alight on Saturday, October 27.

“Due to the speedy attendance by Dublin Fire Brigade the equipment was not totally destroyed,

? she told Northside People.

“However, for safety reasons it is now closed for use.

“We are awaiting a report on the type and cost of repairs necessary.

“Fingal County Council spends in the region of

?¬3 million every year cleaning up vandalised play facilities.

“It should be noted that with ever reducing budgets and funding, it is more and more difficult for the council to continue to repair and replace equipment which is unnecessarily and criminally damaged by vandalism.

“In the present economic situation that more and more families find themselves in, free activities such as council provided playgrounds, public parks, libraries and sports pitches are used more than ever.

?