Repeated acts of vandalism at a Stretford park - including where dog owners have allowed their pets to chew wooden cradle seat swings - have cost more than £1,200 so far this year. The community group which raises funds for Lostock Park, councillors on the Trafford authority and residents say they have been 'left devastated' by the attacks.
Friends of Lostock Park organisers say the cradle seats have been damaged several times by owners who let their dogs use them as chew toys. "This has left the swings unstable and safe," a spokesperson said. The One Trafford Partnership, which is responsible for the maintenance of play areas, says the bucket seats have to be replaced after each incident and this has cost £1,200 this year alone.
"In the worst case so far, the swings were vandalised just one day after being replaced, just as the school holidays began," the spokesperson said. "This year, 12 cradle seats and four flat seats have had to be replaced in Lostock Park."
A total of 37 bucket seats have been replaced in Trafford this year because of vandalism. Across Trafford, acts of vandalism have cost more than £9,000 in the first eight months of the year.
The council says maintenance teams are finding more seats damaged each week, which means the figure is likely to increase. The swing seats at Lostock Park have been replaced but with budget constraints it is not possible to replace them anymore until the new financial year, say bosses.
Coun Stephen Adshead, Trafford council’s executive member for environmental services, said: “We work hard to keep our parks and open spaces maintained to a good standard for all to enjoy.
"The damage caused by this vandalism is very disappointing to see and makes the area unsafe for small children to play in. I would urge dog owners to do the right thing and keep their dogs under control and keep them out of the play area.
"Our teams will always look to repair broken or failed equipment as part of their maintenance work, and I am happy to say that the cradle swings have all been replaced.
"However, the time, money, and resources the partnership spends dealing with damage like this, could be better spent elsewhere.”
He said that, where a maintenance repair is not possible, issues will be added to the list for capital improvement works. Each year a list of planned improvements to play equipment across the borough is set. The programme for this year has already been determined and due to budget constraints, can't accommodate any new projects, he said.
Residents who become aware of new issues with play equipment are being asked to continue to report it to the Trafford council website. Any acts of vandalism can be reported directly to Greater Manchester Police by calling 101.
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