Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

JIM SPENCE: Camperdown Park neglect is metaphor for council carelessness with Dundee’s jewels

Our representatives in City Square are too easy a touch and they make us a soft target for Holyrood cuts.

Garden waste and rubbish dumped at Camperdown Park this month. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson
Garden waste and rubbish dumped at Camperdown Park this month. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

If the current state of Camperdown Park is an indication of Dundee’s future as a city then Dante’s warning “abandon hope all ye who enter here” will be very apt.

Known to generations of Dundonians as Campy, the park has been a place where families traditionally enjoyed Easter celebrations and legions of city golfers drove straight down the middle on as fine a council course as anywhere in Scotland.

I cycled through the park yesterday on the bike to see that since Dundee City Council binned the golf course in April 2020, it’s become an overgrown wasteland, home to dog walkers and dirt bikers who race round the jungle which has mushroomed to replace a once verdant course.

A damaged patch of land at Camperdown Park after fly-tipping was set on fire.
A damaged patch of land at Camperdown Park after fly-tipping set on fire. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson

In parts, the park has some attractive features, with the children’s play area popular and the wildlife centre winning a recent Scottish award.

But the overwhelming sense of neglect and ruin of what was a fine golf course, closed due to a supposed lack of money, is a metaphor for the carelessness with which the council has stewarded many of the city’s jewels.

‘Dangerous spectacle’

I share fellow columnist Steve Finan’s anger at our elected members who’ve failed to fight Dundee’s corner.

We want a bustling vibrant city for ourselves, our children and grandchildren.

But as Steve pointed out, the threat to close Caird Park golf course, Broughty Castle and Mills Observatory could see the city lose other famous landmarks.

That would be a dangerous downward spiral and prove those in charge have given up the ghost in batting for Dundee.

Our representatives in City Square are too easy a touch and they make us a soft target for Holyrood when financial cuts are passed down the line.

Dundee City Council budget proposals
Broughty Castle, Caird Park golf course and Mills Observatory could close. Image: DC Thomson

There’s scarcely a whimper from those in city chambers as the fiscal knife is plunged deep into Dundee’s back.

Instead there’s hand wringing acquiescence from our councillors and SNP MPs and MSPs as the city is skewered with cuts to services.

This increasingly is a council which knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing.

They are a spent force, without vision, energy, or drive.

‘Talking shops and hot air’

Having taken stick four years ago after their vote to close the golf course to save £400k, plans were later announced to reopen part of Camperdown as a nine-hole course and a driving range, but these are yet to materialise.

Half of the park lies unloved and unused and is testimony to the neglect of a council out of ideas and time.

We know that Dundee faces problems which many other areas also have but we have to fight our own corner if our city is to thrive and prosper.

Talking shops and hot air are no substitute for real positive action and creative thinking.

Dundee is crying out for inspirational and inventive city leaders who can work with businesses both small and large to improve facilities and opportunities for its citizens.

First Minister John Swinney. Image: PA.

We need risk takers – not knee shakers – when it comes to producing big ideas which will provide the kinds of stimulus needed to boost the city for those who live here, and might want to live here.

Dundee has been an SNP fiefdom for years so now is the perfect opportunity for new leader John Swinney and his party to give something back to the City of Discovery.

We should be angry at being the poor relation compared to other places – and tired of our civic leaders’ meek acceptance of our second-class status.

They should be banging the drum loud and proud and insisting on a much better deal for all Dundonians.

Conversation