Chelmsford Avenue Play Site - STILL CLOSED

Cllr Andy Mann and Havering Park Action member, Kevin Tonks, of the Collier Row & Mawneys Residents Association, have hit out at the current situation in Collier Row of yet another park that is closed and not open for children to play in (following the story below concerning the park in Lodge Lane at the Forest Row Centre).

The long running issues at the Chelmsford Avenue play site, behind the shops in Gobions Avenue, saw the park closed by the local Police back in 2006 and remained locked shut for some 18 months. It was then re-opened after much argument from local residents.

During this time, Cllr Mann thought with the Council to start the public consultation into what park equipment was needed after the park was given £50 thousand some 4 years ago as part of a housing redevelopment on part of its land.

The consultation took place last October and the play equipment was installed shortly afterwards, late last year. Now, the park is still closed. After Cllr Mann complained about the situation yet again, he was advised by the Parks Manager that the team of staff responsible for locking and un-locking the parks across the Borough are refusing to lock this particular park up at night.

Now, local children are reduced to having to break into the park to play, as the gates are locked shut and there is a six foot fence all around it. They have no issues about anti-social behaviour; it just seems the Council has.

Havering Councils Mobile Patrol Team (subject to a recent Cabinet report disbanding their service) have refused to lock the park up on health and safety grounds as they feel the park entrance is a danger. This is despite the gates being moved nearer to the pavement to reduce any anti- social behaviour issues. The Councils own Health and Safety team has also visited and given the all clear for the gates to be locked at night.

Cllr Mann said “It is a crime against children that they have this park under their noses, yet for some stupid Council bureaucracy, the park remains closed and the children are barred from entering it, is it any wonder they are climbing the fences to get in there”.

Kevin Tonks said “We have been highlighting this issue for over 3 years; it is not good enough that the young people in the community are losing out yet again, young children need the park open, so they can play and run around without getting knocked over by a car playing in the street”.