VIGILANCE HAS been asked for on the future of playpark equipment in Angus, as the results of a public survey are mulled over.
Councillors granted a stay of execution for almost 175 unsafe or out-of-date items across the county this month.
Local authority officials brought forward proposals to remove sorry-state swings and paint-peeled seesaws in October, in a move to save money for a dwindling budget.
But while a number of meetings are being held to consider 1,000 responses and a 2,272-signature petition, groups in Carnoustie and Montrose are considering their next move.
Residents in Winter Place, Carnoustie, are watching events keenly, and a group of Montrose locals could put plans to form a parents’ group on hold.
Joyce North of Winter Place called for all eyes to be on the council’s next move and added: “Residents’ children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren use this park regularly as well as children from other parts and childminders.
“We all feel that taking the equipment away would open up a football playing area, and will result in windows and doors being battered at high speed, and broken plants in our gardens.”
Meanwhile, eight of the playparks are under threat in Montrose, and Montrose and Ferryden community councillors previously discussed the formation of a proactive group with parents.
However, Ferryden community councillor Gordon Brown this week urged interested parties to “conserve their energy”.
He said: “We’ll have to wait and see what the council’s strategy to involve the community is. At the moment there’s no point in starting up a group and finding out that we’re actually working against that.
“We just need to stop, think and assess each park in more detail and think about what we can do to preserve them or make replacements with low-maintenance equipment.”
Mrs North added that the emptying of her local park would meet the same opposition a previous attempt on it had.
“The chute was replaced in the summer at a cost of £6,800 as we, the residents, severely complained to our local councillors when the old one was removed,” she said.
“It was from the community fund our local councillors received, and at no point were they informed of the impending report to close the park.”