The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Outrage over latest attack on playpark
AFife playpark where vandals once poured petrol down a slide has been targeted again.
Youngsters ripped up protective rubber matting at the Westburn Avenue park in Cowdenbeath over the weekend. They also tipped up bins, scattering rubbish across the site.
Some of those responsible are said to be of primary school age and have been branded mindless idiots by a town representative.
Conservative councillor Darren Watt said: “This isn’t the first, second or even third time this has happened at this playpark.
“A few years ago someone poured petrol down the chute.
“It’s got to the stage that parents don’t want their kids to play there because of the language and behaviour of those responsible.”
Mr Watt said the vandals were not deterred by the fact the park is overlooked by housing.
He added that the rampage had lasted for some time.
“This wasn’t a fiveminute ransack,” he said.
“They’ve clearly spent hours tearing it apart.”
He continued: “There are houses overlooking the park but these kids clearly don’t care.
“It’s not even teenagers. It’s primary school aged children destroying a playpark without any consideration for others.”
Mr Watt fears the Cowdenbeath playpark will become more rundown if the destruction continues.
“It’s sadly getting a reputation and some people have asked for it to be taken away,” he said.
“That’s not an option but resources are limited and it means money is being spent on repairing it rather than upgrading it.”
Fife Council confirmed the playpark vandalism and said workers were out yesterday morning tidying up the site.
In 2018, two young children, aged five and two, ended up covered in petrol after sliding down a chute at the same park.
The youngsters’ clothes were left stinking of the fuel and had to be thrown away.
Fife Council’s safer communities manager Dawn Jamieson said: “We will continue to regularly patrol the park and work closely with the police to combat this anti-social behaviour.
“We would also encourage members of the public to report any incidents to them or online at www.fife.gov.uk.”