‘Chernobyl’ playpark in ‘as soon as vibrant’ city deserted by households ‘on its knees’

An Edinburgh councillor has in contrast a uncared for native playpark to the eerie scenes of Chernobyl.

Christopher Cowdy stated the rundown play space at Stateford’s Moat Drive, with its rusted and overgrown tools, was a “real shame” for the youngsters. City officers are actually planning to evaluate the park to see if it wants a makeover. The Scottish Government provides cash to native councils to assist take care of playparks.

In 2023/24, they’re giving £419,000 to Edinburgh, £1.216m the following 12 months, and £2.027m deliberate for 2025/26. Cllr Cowdy spoke to the tradition and communities committee on Thursday, February 29. He stated that the folks residing within the space really feel like they have been forgotten.

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He added: “I’ve been down there numerous times and the sight of the playpark is always a real concern.”, reviews Edinburgh Live. He stated: “I don’t know if any of you have seen any of the documentaries or the streaming programmes about Chernobyl, but there is some iconic footage of abandoned playparks – rusted, overgrown – and they give a really eerie feeling.

“Because they symbolize how the city was vibrant with youngsters households however is now left deserted and desolate – and that’s precisely what springs to my thoughts after I go all the way down to Moat Drive, and it is an actual disgrace for native youngsters.”

Talking about why kids are staying away, he mentioned the rusty equipment, the paint that’s “fully light or peeling away” and the “moss in every single place”. He called the playground “on its knees,” and said to other councillors: “This just isn’t an appropriate place for youngsters to play in.

“The only reason a child would go there is because their parents have taken them down there and said ‘you will go in there and you will play on this’. It really is not a very attractive looking place.”

He did say there have been some fixes like new “rotten and broken wooden footboards,” however identified these gave the impression to be finished only for security. He pressured: “The park as a whole remains in a really sorry state.”

The committee agreed to an modification that highlighted the “particularly poor condition of the Moat Drive Playpark” and determined it must be checked out when planning the place to spend cash in 2025/26.