Anger over condition of playground

Callum Lavery

RESIDENTS have expressed outrage over the state of disrepair at their local playground. 

Photos received by Northside People show graffiti, broken play equipment and fire damage to the Ellenfield Park playground in Whitehall.

Local father Kevin Jenkinson said the playground is totally unfit for purpose and he is worried about the dangers it poses to children in the area.

“It’s just in very bad disrepair,” said Mr Jenkinson. “You would not let your child play on it. It’s not a very child-friendly place to go, that’s for sure.

“I have a three-year-old son and an eight-month-old baby. I have been going to that park over the last two years and it’s always in a very dirty state. I am always saying to myself: I need to get in touch with the council (Dublin City Council) about it.

“It’s not power washed, there’s moss and algae that isn’t cleaned up, and the play equipment isn’t maintained well, all those kinds of basic things.

“When I was there before, there was an empty vodka bottle, and there was a different burn mark in a different part of the park.

Mr Jenkinson said he has contacted local public representatives about the condition of the area.

“It’s kind of like a ghost playground, there are no kids around,” he said. “It’s just an example of how children are not being put first, not even considered, not even on the page.

“If I buy something or build something, I clean it, I maintain it or look after it, but here is a playground built on taxpayers’ money. It isn’t even clean, never mind maintained. It’s not treated with respect and so in my view, not treating children with respect. They need to increase the patrols or security in the area.”

Local councillor and former Lord Mayor of Dublin Andrew Montague (Lab) said he has pushed for work to be carried out on the playground. 

“I have small children, a two and a half year old and a six-month-old, and I have noticed that some of the local playgrounds are in disrepair, and some of the residents have been in touch with me as well,” said Cllr Montague. 

“In October I put forward a motion to the council asking them to update the park and I got a non committal reply but hopefully it will happen that the council will review it in 2019 and hopefully try to update it in 2019. But it will certainly need a great deal of work.”

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council told Northside People: “The Senior District Parks Officer has been made aware of these issues and is currently liaising with a contractor in an effort to repair the damage to Ellenfield Park playground as soon as is practicable.

“The damaged areas have been cordoned off until permanent repairs can be carried out.”