Fears over temporary closure of village park

Group seeks assurances from council after children’s play area is shut off amid three-year review

A Mearns community is calling for assurances from Aberdeenshire Council that a popular children’s playpark is not under threat of permanent closure.

Members of the Drumlithie Improvement Group are working to raise £16,000 for equipment to improve the small play area, which nestles on the corner of High Street and Croft Road.

They have raised half their target but were dismayed when the area was fenced off without notice.

Group member Kirsty Matthews said there was “outcry” in the village when the park was closed off, sparking fears it would be shut for good.

She said: “Aberdeenshire Council has been conducting a playpark review for about three years to look at the needs of playparks.

“We have been working with the council on raising money to fund a new piece of equipment for one of our two play parks in the village.

“We are part way there but have always been asking where the playpark review is at – basically nowhere, is what we have been told.”

She explained the village has a small playpark which caters for young children, and a larger one for older children.

She continued: “It was a shock for the village to find, two days ago, the smaller playpark has been fenced off.

“This is used a lot by the playgroup and primary ones and twos in the village.”

It emerged the local authority had closed the small playpark to allow repairs to be made to the equipment.

While some residents felt the council had acted responsibly in closing the park to allow repairs to be carried out, others fear it will never reopen.

Kirsty continued: “If it’s getting repaired, that’s brilliant.

“But there are real fears now that, with it being closed temporarily and with the outstanding play-park review, the council will make the ridiculous decision to permanently close it as opposed to the required maintenance being conducted.

“We are getting told different things.” Aberdeenshire Conservative councillors for the Mearns, George Carr and Jeff Hutchison, have been working with the DIP.

Mr Carr said: “We have a good working relationship between Aberdeenshire Council’s landscape services and the Drumlithie Improvement Group.

“Their exciting zip wire is about to be installed and requests are dealt with sympathetically.”

A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said: “We have closed off an area after a routine safety inspection found an issue with one of the pieces of play equipment.

“The unit will be either repaired or replaced.”

There are real fears now that... the council will make the ridiculous decision to close it

Picture: Gareth Jennings. The area on Croft Road, Drumlithie, that has been fenced off for repairs leaving Poppy, 5, and Hazel, 10, Ramsay sad that they cannot get in to play.