Parents in Broughty Ferry have renewed calls for their local playpark to be repaired and reopened after being left in a derelict state for four years.
The Lawers Drive park in Panmurefield was locked up after several bouts of vandalism.
Although it can still be accessed by climbing over the fence, littering and damage to equipment has left it unsafe to use, and there is a padlock on the gate.
Children were at the forefront of calls to have the park reopened last year, with one girl even writing a letter about it.
But owner Greenbelt Energy Ltd (GEL) said it was being “held hostage” by vandals and claimed the costs of constantly repairing the site were unsustainable.
Mum Paula Feeney is pushing for the park to reopen for her eight-year-old daughter Oliva Wilkie and her friends.
She said: “It’s lying derelict, no one goes near it.
‘It’s an absolute mess’
“[GEL] said they would cut back the bushes to prevent the vandalism and it’s not been touched.
“They’re not trying to do anything to open it up, it’s an absolute mess.
“It’s so frustrating because even if they took away the equipment, the kids could use it as an open outdoor space.
“There are no other parks nearby that they can go, there’s just a baby park or a bit of grass nearby.
“Otherwise, one of the parents has to walk them over to Monifieth.
“It’s a shame because all the other schemes have such nice parks, and it’s another year where we can’t go near the area.
“I’ve lost a bit of hope with it now.
“It’s only so long that kids want to go and play in the neighbourhood before it’s just TV and computers.”
Broughty Ferry councillor Craig Duncan has asked council officers to look into how GEL secured the contract in the first place.
He said: “The local residents are being short-changed and the current situation is completely unsatisfactory.
“Greenbelt has persistently refused to act upon police advice to cut down the foliage.
“The ball is very much in their court.
“For quite some time now outdoor activities have been permissible, so what is the problem?”
Work to cut back shrubs ‘had to be postponed’
A spokesperson for GEL says the park remains a target for anti-social behaviour, with the company spending “many thousands of pounds” to repair it.
The spokesperson said: “We are still intending to reduce the roadside shrubs as soon as possible.
“However the unprecedented impact of recent storms meant that all non-essential work had to be postponed as safety to people and property was the priority.
“Tree surgeons throughout the country have spent months clearing up the aftermath.
“We hope the shrub reduction will reduce the incidents of anti-social behaviour and we will continue to monitor the situation.
“Meantime – for important safety as well as financial reasons – regretfully the park must remain closed.
“We can confirm, however, it remains our intention, if there is a marked reduction in anti-social behaviour, to look at a potential long-term plan.”
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