Play park boosts social cohesion

Re. your article considering future use of the play park in Black Griffin Lane (Play Park’s Future Undecided, Kentish Gazette, March 10).

Having lived opposite the park for more than 20 years, I make the following observations.

While this area is identified as having a catchment area of 100 metres, I would argue that it is marginally greater than this, being used by parents taking children to and from St Peter’s primary and on many occasions as a stop-and-rest area for tourists following the City Trail.

While it may also be argued that it is under-used as a facility, given the development of the Toddlers Cove area, I do not think this completely true.

It may appear under-used in the winter, as indeed would many play areas, but it remains a focus and a safe place for younger local children in the summer as well as a community chat point for residents of the area.

Black Griffin Lane still remains a harmonious and mixed local community with a high proportion of owner-occupiers, students and a number with young families of school age or under and interaction between us occurs on or near the play park area, which I think contributes to social cohesion.

On a number of occasions I have spoken with visitors to Canterbury who observe how attractive the street is.

I would not go so far as to agree with one visitor’s comment that it appeared like Little Chelsea with its little park, but I think it fairly indicative that this area is an appreciated and integral part of the local street scene.

I also need to say that I feel that it is rather disingenuous to suggest that it is plagued by antisocial behaviour as we monitor this to ensure there is no apparent danger to children using it.

It is ironic that the focus of concern for residents of the street for antisocial behaviour and drug use is the Wendy House public toilets at the end of the