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The poor state of children's playparks
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A number of persons have complained to the Opposition about the state of a number of children?s play parks in different parts of Gibraltar.
It will be recalled that the park in the Westside reclamation was destroyed by the severe storms that hit Gibraltar last year. This was not the first time that the area suffered damage during a storm as result of the waves pounding against and going over the sea wall.
However,says the Opposition, in the time that has elapsed since then very little seems to have been done to repair the damage and reopen the park to the public. This recreational area was used by many residents of the Westside area and indeed by persons from other parts of Gibraltar who also took their children there to make use of the facilities.
They add:There have also been complaints made about the safety of the play park in the Alameda gardens. There are a number of large nails sticking out from the side of roof of the wooden entrance gazebo to the left of the first few steps. These nails stick out at the height where serious injury could be caused to the head or body of a child who is unaware that they are there.
The Opposition has also been told that there are large cracks and holes in the ground near the sea-saw where people have already tripped and fallen over.
Parliament voted ?150,000 for the construction, upgrading and maintenance of playgrounds in 2007/2008 of which only ?1000 was spent. In this financial year the Government put forward a nominal expenditure of only ?1000. This says it all.
They consider that the Government should get their priorities right.
"They have lost sight of the needs of ordinary people and have time and money only for grandiose schemes that should be less of a priority. The funds needed to repair the playgrounds in question are peanuts compared to what has already been spent on the Theatre Royal and the planned expenditure on the new air terminal," said the GSLP/Liberals.
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