Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Plea for wardens to tackle blight of park junkies
Green spaces intimidating, council hears
The city’s parks and gardens are being ruined by drunks and drug addicts making families feel unsafe, the city council has been told.
Sian Pettman, who is a member of the Friends of Kingsmead Field, says groups like hers are often left to clean up the mess and risk become demoralised by the lack of law enforcement.
She was speaking at a meeting of the council’s Canterbury area member panel, where she urged the authority to consider employing park wardens.
They have been deployed in the past but scrapped due to council budget cuts.
Mrs Pettman said: “Our parks and gardens should be safe, enjoyable spaces for recreation but are suffering from antisocial behaviour, making families and children feel unsafe.
“The squalor left behind is often what the friends groups have to deal with.”
Cllr Louise Roberts said: “I won’t walk through the Dane John after dark because of the drinking, aggressive and intimidating behaviour.”
Cllr Nick Eden-green said employing a park warden could result in a saving to the city council because it would deter littering.
He added: “We had a warden in the past who did a brilliant job.
“I wonder why we are not collecting money from developers towards our parks when so many new homes will be putting pressure on our open spaces.”
Members agreed to ask the council’s community committee to investigate employing a dedicated parks warden.
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