MSP accuses Dumfries and Galloway Council of “utter neglect” over Dumfries play park
£2 million went into the refurbishment of the park.
Once voted Scotland's best playpark is now overgrown in weeds and full of broken play equipment in Dumfries.
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth is accusing the local authority of allowing the flagship Dock Park to be left to ruin even though two-million pounds of investment was to go towards the upkeeping.
Just a few weeks before the schools break up for their summer holidays, play equipment and the bandstand remain out of use.
The children's playpark is suffering from many issues that desperately seek refurbishment.
The ship has rotten boards, and the disabled roundabout does not turn so both have been fenced off.
The broken seesaw has been removed, the rubber flooring surface is crumbling, and the entrance gates are closed off with barriers.
Weeds have taken over the 1970s maze and the potholes in the carpark were filed with piles of gravel, rather than repaired properly.
Smyth, who was a local councillor at the time, was chair of the Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee during the major refurbishment of the park which he fought for.
He carried out the official re-opening of the park which the Earl and Countess of Wessex attended in 2014.
Later that year, the park was announced as the best park in the country in a public Keep Scotland Beautiful poll and received a coveted Green Flag every year since.
The Landfill Communities Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, and the council invested £2 million which saw the refurbishment of the 19th century bandstand by the company who originally built it, as well as a modernised children’s playpark.
Colin Smyth said: “Just weeks before the school holidays and the summer tourism season, it is shocking to see the utter neglect of the Dock Park by the council.
“I know local councils have had to deal with huge Government cuts but failing to carry out even basic maintenance is a false economy. It will just mean a huge amount of investment is needed in the future to bring the park back into a decent state.
“I successfully fought for the £2 million refurbishment of what was an award-winning park. We transformed it into a real jewel in the crown for Dumfries and it is something I am very proud of. The council should hang their head in shame over the state of the park today.
“Every year since the revamp, the council has secured a coveted Green Flag for the park but there is little chance of that this year in its current state. More importantly, the park has been hugely popular since the investment was made but that won’t last if the equipment continues to be removed and closed off.
“It really breaks my heart to see the way it has been left to fall apart. The council needs to carry out the repairs urgently and put in place a proper maintenance regime, which is what they promised funders like the Heritage Lottery fund when they secured grants from them a decade ago.
“If they fail to do so it will only be a matter of time before the park falls into a complete state of disrepair and we are back having to fight for another revamp and that’s totally unacceptable.”
The local authority has been approached for comment.