The digital age has changed the way children play, allowing them to exchange outdoor games for gaming consoles and social media.
Are the days where children enjoyed the outdoors truly gone? Is technology to blame for children abandoning town parks? Or is the decrepit state of parks responsible for children opting for to find outdoor entertainment elsewhere and at times, finding solace with technology?
The play park in McIntosh Avenue, Pioneer Park, is in a state of minor disrepair. The roundabout is missing beams, making it rather unsafe for children to play on.
What about the swings? What child does not enjoy hours of fun on a swing ?
The swings in the park are damaged, basically unusable for more than two children at a time.
But this is not the only park which offers wreck-rational fun for children. The park in FW Beyers Lane, Barry Hertzog Park, paints a bleak picture of fun for children in the suburbs. From broken equipment, litter to broken bottles and discarded condoms, this is one park that offers everything except entertainment for children.
What about the playpark at the Arnika Centre in Lennoxton, across the road from the Lennoxton Library?
While the play equipment in this park is in a better state than the parks in McIntosh Avenue and FW Beyers Lane, here too are children met with broken swings and masses of discarded litter.
The Newcastle Municipality’s Communication Department was contacted for comment regarding the state of the parks.
Dr Dumisani Thabethe of the Communications Department explains, “We are currently experiencing huge challenges with vandalism and adverse public behaviour at play parks. We have addressed the matter at the recent community services portfolio standing committee.
What are your thoughts on the conditions of the play parks in Newcastle? Do you feel enough is being done to keep them maintained? Do you and your families make use of the parks? What do you think can be done to improve the state of the local parks?
Share your views with us in the comments section below.
2 Responses
Hi the park in McIntosh needs a repair. But there is always people on weekends taking out the palls and driving through the park with they cars. So even if the parks was full equipted it will not be safe for oure kids to play there. I would say they need big gates and wires around the park with security guy watching these parks.
Aviary Hill kids park doesn’t exist anymore just long grass and trash.
Schuinshoogte kids park Protea Avenue consist of long grass and trash.
Hibiscus kids park another mess and Paddock Drive kids park is another local rubbish dump.
Dumping rubbish is a huge problem as the Farmers Hall dump is dangerous as one is harassed and threatened by municipal staff…… but just plain grass cutting is a huge problem as it is never done. Obviously parks department is non existent!