Revamp hope for kids’ playground branded a ‘danger’
PARENTS have raised concerns about dangers in a children’s park in Llanelli after many youngsters have been left injured, with some even having to visit the hospital – but a councillor has said a £20,000 revamp is in the pipeline.
They say Dan y Banc park in Felinfoel boasts a number of hazards including broken equipment, rusting paintwork with jagged edges and Tarmac with chunks missing.
Parents have claimed that the park has been the source of many injuries including jammed fingers, cuts from the rusted paint, a sprained knee and even a broken wrist.
Resident and mum of four Zoe Williams said: “Dan y Banc community is full of kids and they should have somewhere outside to play. I just feel like the council have abandoned it and left it to go to ruin.
“Children are always falling and tripping over because there are chunks of Tarmac missing from the floor, and a friend of mine’s daughter even broke her wrist last year.
“Last Saturday I had to go to A&E with my nineyear-old daughter after she fell off the seating area where the equipment is broken and landed on her knee. She sprained it quite badly and the doctors were really shocked it wasn’t broken,” adds 32-year-old Ms Williams.
The park, which is managed by Llanelli Rural Council, is the only one in the area, and has also been a trouble spot for vandalism and fly-tipping.
A local resident who placed a memorial bench in the park was forced to remove the bench due to the high scale of vandalism it was subjected to.
Unfortunately parents have become accustomed to the sad state of the par.
Dad-of-four Dwein Davies said: “It’s been a gradual decline over the past nine years.
“I was so shocked at the state of it when we started going there, a park in Chernobyl would be in a better state of repair.”
The park was previously owned by Carmarthenshire Council who had intended to demolish the playground and dispose of the land until it was taken over by Llanelli Rural Council earlier this year.
However, Llanelli Rural councillor Bill Thomas says that there might be a glimmer of light at the end of the playground’s tunnel.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Thomas, who represents Felinfoel, said: “I have spoken to many residents over the past few months about the playground and on Sunday was sent photos taken by a parent who was concerned about the condition of some of the equipment.”
“I was rung in the past hour by an officer of Llanelli Rural Council who told me that a parent had been in touch to say that a child had been injured by falling off the playground equipment.
“I have been assured that this incident will be investigated and the council will ensure the equipment is safe.
“Llanelli Rural Council is also waiting for engineers to come to the playground to carry out the refurbishments planned for the playground.
“Llanelli Rural Council put the final touches to the formal asset transfer of the facility from Carmarthenshire Council when it gave its stamp of approval to complete a 99-year lease for the transfer of the playground at its council meeting held on Tuesday evening.
“The playground will now undergo a programme of extensive refurbishment costing in the region of £20,000 to breathe new life into the play facilities in support of the transfer.”