Residents have welcomed safety improvements worth thousands of pounds at a Stapleford park which aim to combat anti-social behaviour there. New cameras and lighting has been installed at Hickings Recreation Ground in the town to try to stop youths congregating in the park and causing trouble as well as make visitors feel safer.
The council says have been working with police "very closely" for the past nine months to try and make the park safer and, following a successful bid to the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in 2021, £25,000 was allocated to provide new surveillance cameras, additional lighting and new fencing and gates there.
The new surveillance cameras have been installed adjacent to the play-area and skate park and monitor these areas including the pavilion and the multi-use games area. The cameras are panoramic with 360 degree views of the area and fitted with infra-red vision so they produce high quality images even when it is dark.
Stapleford 'turned upside down' as 2 nurseries close down after Ofsted report
Local residents told Nottinghamshire Live that it feels safer now that the safety measures have been put in place. Nearby resident, Carol Cano, who is 59, a housewife, says she feels safer and is glad.
She said: “It’s brighter and better. I feel safer at night. There was drinking and drugs. I’m glad, It’s better for kids and better for dog walkers.”
Another local Christina Davidson, 69, who is retired recalls some of the anti-social behaviour and says she ‘almost moved’ because of it. She said: “People here are always saying when they cross the park they see syringes, drugs. There was a shooting and stabbings. I almost moved. It makes you feel a lot safer. As long as those that do the crimes know that there’s cameras.”
Student teacher, Ellie Rischer, who is 22, says that she doesn’t think the gate has been locked yet and it should be. She said: “It is a bit better - but the gate was meant to be locked. I don’t think it’s been locked and it’s made people on edge.
“Other than that it’s fine. Hicklings Lane seems to be the problem - police are parked there all the time. I think there should be CCTV at the top - where it’s supposed to be bad. They’ve done something good - I just think the gate should be locked.”
Another resident who wished not to be named is a mother and says she’s scared to take her children to the park and that the new lights helped in the evenings. She said: “I don’t go there often because I'm scared. I only go with my partner. There were also groups there.
“I think it’s really bad - it’s scary. When we went in the evenings in winter the lights really helped.”
Last year, local residents described how the park had become a "playground for drug dealers" - and worried that the beauty spot had become a threatening place to visit. The new floodlights installed now illuminate the play area, skate park and pavilion - they are all on timers so they come on at dusk and go off at midnight.
The final phase of the work was new fencing and gates at the West Cross Avenue entrance. This is now locked at night and opened again in the morning by residents. The council say there has been a "significant reduction in reports of anti-social behaviour" and complaints about youths congregating on the park.
Councillor Richard MacRae, Independent Stapleford North Ward Councillor at Stapleford Town Council and Broxtowe Borough Council, said: “I would like to thank the hard work of the officers at Broxtowe Borough Council, who with the help and support and funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, have been able to make this happen. I am also very grateful to the local residents who are helping support this scheme.”
To read all the biggest and best stories first sign up to read our newsletters here .
