Save Our Parks & Play Areas
Help stop the cycle of neglect in our parks and play areas
Our park and play areas have been neglected for too long, with repairs and much needed investment needed across the city. The recent decision by the Labour-led Council to close two popular park cafes will just make things worse.
Across Newcastle, our green spaces, play areas and parks have been neglected by the Labour-run City Council. The failed experiment with Urban Green has left these once jewels across the city in a poor state and things have just got worse in the last year.
Maintenance of the parks has been ignored for years and there is a long, and growing, list of repairs needed to fix closed bridges, broken fences, vandalised play equipment, poor footpaths and fallen trees.
In January, Lib Dem councillors forced through a change in Council policy to come up with a proper investment plan to address all the problems. They were opposed by Labour Councillors, but the Lib Dems were supported by other opposition councillors to push through the change.
However, less than a week later, in a move that confirms that the Labour-led administration is in chaos, Council bosses announced the immediate closure of two popular park cafes - serving Paddy Freeman's Park and Exhibition Park.
NEED TO FIX POOR STATE OF PARKS AND PLAY AREAS
Many residents have been in touch with their local Lib Dem councillors to complain about the poor state of the parks and play areas across the city.
For example, in Jesmond Dene, bridges are closed and danger of collapse, fences are broken, fallen trees are partly blocking the Ouseburn and historic buildings are neglected. In Exhibition Park, the play area was fenced off for many months and children were unable to play on the equipment. This situation is repeated in other parks and play areas across Newcastle. Fawdon Park is in a neglected state and the local football club has to play elsewhere because of the state of the changing rooms.
Whilst the Labour Cabinet recently announced a limited, one-off investment in a few play areas, most were ignored. This is not good enough.
COUNCIL AGREES TO PLAN - THEN CLOSES TWO PARK CAFES
At January's Council meeting, Lib Dem councillors led moves to force the Council to come up with a plan to invest in all our parks and address the decline. Yet, less than a week later, staff in the Council-run cafes in Paddy Freeman's Park and Exhibition Park were told by Council bosses that both cafes would be closing - Paddy Freeman's shut with immediate effect and Exhibition Park within a couple of weeks.
Ironically, the closures were partly justified on the grounds of declining popularity. In the case of Exhibition Park, customer numbers have fallen because the children's play area has been closed for months for repairs - though the play area reopened later in the week. National Labour Government policies, including increases in business rates, National Insurance Contributions and the Minimum Wage have also led to increased costs.
Liberal Democrats councillors have already met with senior Council bosses to push them for a solution to the cafe closures that will do little to encourage more people to use our parks. We are pressing them to look at alternatives, including community-led initiatives.
This cycle of deterioration has got to stop. Join our campaign to press the Council to implement a comprehensive plan to invest in our parks and green spaces, including cafe and toilet facilities - to make them, once again, places where everyone can enjoy the green lungs of our city.
Save Our Green Spaces
For too long, Newcastle's green spaces have been neglected. We, the undersigned, call on Newcastle City Council to implement a proper plan for adequate investment in the restoration, maintenance, and upkeep of our City's much loved parks, play areas and green spaces, for current and future generations to enjoy.
