Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Trial to lock gates at trouble-hit city park put on hold
The trial closure of gates to a park in a bid to cut anti-social behaviour has been suspended, the city council admitted this week.
The entrances to the Dane John Gardens were being locked between 10pm and 4pm by staff at nearby Club Chemistry, but the arrangement has now “fallen through”.
The trial first started in July 2019 but was suspended during the pandemic lockdown, and only recently re-started.
Concerns about the safety of the park at night were again raised last week following an attack in which three young men were badly beaten by a gang and left needing hospital treatment.
City council spokesman Rob Davies said the authority was “very concerned” to hear of the incident.
It now hopes to find a solution
to the gate locking and is also planning to improve CCTV coverage in the park
Mr Davies explained: “Earlier this year, councillors agreed to resume the trial scheme to lock some of the park’s gates between 10pm and 4am, using staff from Club Chemistry to carry out the locking and unlocking.
“Unfortunately, this resource has fallen through and we have not been able to get the trial back up and running as yet.
Once the issue of how to lock and unlock the gates is resolved, the six-month trial can restart.”
Club Chemistry boss Louise Jones-roberts said her staff had carried out the gate locking up until March last year but no longer had the resources to continue the re-newed task.
Mr Davies added: “It is important to stress that even when the trial is operational, it does not involve the locking of every gate.
“Residents who live in the park need to be able to get access. The trial seeks to limit access rather than prevent it completely.
“Safety and security within the park is a priority for us and in June this year we secured government funding for more CCTV coverage in the park, which will be in place over the next few months.
“We have also been out and about in recent weeks running public safety hubs and promoting our ‘lit routes’ campaign which gives advice on the safest routes to use around the city.”