Why no more security in the park?

Memory Of 98

Why is it that there is no longer security stationed in the park?

I live within a distance of the park and have to use it to get around quite a lot, to say that the things I have seen happening in the park lately are completely unacceptable would be an understatement.

Recently during the warmer weather, the park has been over run by massive gangs of scum bags. One day last week, a large part of the hill was over run with gangs who were blaring music and drinking large amounts of very cheap foreign beer, then throwing the cans around over the heads of families trying to enjoy the weather. Not to mention shouting very loudly in their very basic, profanity heavy, dialects.

The following day it was worse! I saw families with kids walk in, take one look and walk back out! As, on this day, the gangs had not contented themselves with simply sitting on the hills, but also with venturing down from their perches and abusing the children's slides and swings to the amazement of families with young kids.

My girlfriend won't even walk through the park alone to get to work, I have to escort her like a bodyguard! And today was one of those days that that escorting proved necessary.

We had just entered the park, my eyes were drawn to a gang of scum bags with hurls lined up along the fence at the children's play area. They were hitting a ball across the pathway where people were trying to walk past, to another gang who were up on the hill catching it and returning it!

The ball came within an inch of clattering into the face of a woman with a buggy and reasonably close to clattering into an elderly couple who were strolling. I stared at the lad with the hurl with a scolding face as I passed, he dropped his arm and waited for me to pass to return the ball. No thought of hitting anyone or that ball entering the child's area and mortally wounding a small child.

Not only do I have to escort her through the park now, but also up Cox's lane which has become a hot spot for hobo`s drinking cheap foreign bear and openly & publicly urinating with no shame, while heckling you.

I read that some months ago of gangs actually approaching people in the park, who look like they are carrying costly electronics like phones and Ipod's and demanding they hand them over or get a beating. Seeing as I have to wear a full suit to work, this made me very nervous, and, having to pass through the park to get to work has me on guard to say the least.

Are things really that bad that they can't pay a security guard anymore?

kwalshe

This is really terrible. Did you call the Garda when you saw this?

Memory Of 98

I did a quick Google search, seems I am not the only one angry.

CALLS have been made to reinstate security at Carlow Town Park after gangs of up to 30 youths were discovered drinking there last week.

Scores of complaints have been made to the local authority about lack of security in the park. In addition, there is growing concern about the amount of litter strewn across the park after last week’s fine weather brought people out in their hundreds.

“The park used to be great,” said local man Peter Nolan from the Burrin Road. “But walking around there last week was a total disgrace.”

Peter said he visited the park on two occasions last week between 6.30pm and 8pm, and both times “gangs of around 30 youngsters were up on the hill drinking”.

“I actually feared for the safety of the man who came in to lock up the park,” he confessed.

Similar complaints were made to The Nationalist by locals, who say the park is no longer a safe place to bring children because of the amount of broken glass strewn about, with one woman asking: “Who is going to be responsible when a child is cut?”

Cllr Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said the current situation at Carlow Town Park is unacceptable.

“We need security up there,” she urged. “Especially for the summer months – this is a massive issue and we just can’t have people drinking in the park, we simply can’t.”

Town clerk Michael Brennan said he was aware of difficulties in the park last week, describing them as “a major concern”.

However, he pointed out that slashed budgets mean the council cannot afford to employ full-time security.

“We have had complaints and we have asked gardaí to patrol the area,” he confirmed. He pointed out that security open and close the park and inspect it once a day, while council staff also patrol the area and the amenity trust cleans the park each day.

As for bringing in extra security for the summer months, Mr Brennan said the local authority “would keep it under review ... we will have to look A member of Carlow Amenity Trust clearing the rubbish in Carlow Town Park Photo: John Courtney at cost factors”.

foggy_lad

Someone must want that parcel of land for development if the council are making it unattractive and unsafe as a patk? Could a few locals not band together and become a town park watch like neighbourhood watch, and alert the gardai when required? Oh wait Irish people don't rat out anyone to the gardai not even these scum that threaten the safety of their children.

jay gatsby

Not to be knocking our police force unneccesarily or anything but you might as well be ringing the Samaritans for all the response you'll get calling them as a private citizen. They need a full time security presence in there at least for the Summer.

What I cannot understand is how we have so many people on the dole who would love to have something to do and yet we are told we don't have the resources. Why are unemployed people not required to put in an odd shift at this kind of thing. You wouldn't need an armed guard in there or anything - just a couple of people in uniform on patrol all the time would do.

There are a thousand other places that we could use man power, rubbish picking on the roads being another obvious one.

Mister Man

jay gatsby wrote: »

Not to be knocking our police force unneccesarily or anything but you might as well be ringing the Samaritans for all the response you'll get calling them as a private citizen. They need a full time security presence in there at least for the Summer.

What I cannot understand is how we have so many people on the dole who would love to have something to do and yet we are told we don't have the resources. Why are unemployed people not required to put in an odd shift at this kind of thing. You wouldn't need an armed guard in there or anything - just a couple of people in uniform on patrol all the time would do.

There are a thousand other places that we could use man power, rubbish picking on the roads being another obvious one.

You're suggesting that people who are on the dole, are forced to patrol the park? I don't know about you, but if I was on the dole, and told I had to do anything like that, I'd find something else!.

The scumbags in Carlow wouldn't think twice about swinging at you, I'm sure. Although, I do agree, that people on the dole should be made do *something* to get the dole. Most of them have no intention of even looking for a job, their quite happy getting their few quid a week.

Re: the park - I can only assume that the security has disappeared due to funding cuts, but even if they had security, I'm sure half the scumbags would still get away with the same stuff.

I'm fine with a few friends sitting around, maybe having a quite drink out of sight of the kids etc - but I agree that the scumbags sitting around on the hill for anyone to see is a eye sore to say the least, but as gatsby said, the Police won't do anything about it, their probably terrified of them anyway!

TaosHum

Unfortunately mate,I think your either going to have to just battle through it, or else just go round it because its not going to get better.

Even though the security was merely one lad who used to float around the area, it still acted as a deterrent. Now though they have free reign to do what they like and no-one to stop them.

Its a sad state of affairs when you cant even walk through the town park without being mindful or on your guard. But that seems to be the way its heading in Carlow.

For whatever reason, Carlow Town seems to have an unnatural amount of scum bags in comparison to other towns. Obviously it probably doesn't, but you see them around the town and in places you wouldn't expect more frequent IMO.

jay gatsby

I didn't mean that any citizen would have to confront a crowd of brats or risk themselves in any way. However I think most of us are in agreement that the Guards won't be very effective if you just place a call to them as a member of the public.

I would envisage something like this. 5 people are assigned by the county council to do a few hours a day walking the park in a high vis jacket as part of FAS scheme or something similar. These people are instructed to contact the guards if there is anything serious wrong in the park.

That way the guards are not pestered by constant calls (they know the people empowered by the council) and there is more of a visual presence in the park.

sinsin

Video them and post it on You Tube and Facebook.
Later if something happens,they can be identified.
Easy to do,rather than whinging about it.

David09

Aren't there laws against drinking in public places?

foggy_lad

David09 wrote: »

Aren't there laws against drinking in public places?

Our laws don't apply to everyone, many citizens see themselves as being outside the reach of laws and Gardai and will drink and take drugs in public and go out in the dead of night robbing and theiving!

Memory Of 98

It's a sad day when such a lovely patch of land is blighted like this, at least we all, or most of us agree that even having such little power, the security guard had a positive effect on the mood and safety within the park.

GoAround

Hi, I have just noticed this thread and would like to share my thoughts. I am a director of a local security company within the Carlow area, we have had several complaints relating to the park, we took the opportunity to send some information regarding our company and the services we provide. We proposed to offer a security service which also supplied a light cleaning operative to maintain the park at a rate that could have being negotiated to accomadate the coucils needs. We were/are willing to work the County Council in order to keep the park safe for public use. I have an added interest in the safety side of things as many of my family and friends use the park on a daily basis by bringing their children there and also for the people that commute across the bridge onto the town. We have not currently heard anything back from c.c.c but from our research, the withdrawel of the service is completely down to a lack of funding.

Its a shame after spending so much on developing the park that they withdraw a vital service on keeping it safe and user friendly...!!

Owryan

Was there today with my brats and felt like shooting the skangers who were trying to take over the play area, saying that, even when there was security there it was often a case of "Look the other way" syndrome

Carlow2011

GoAround wrote: »

Hi, I have just noticed this thread and would like to share my thoughts. I am a director of a local security company within the Carlow area, we have had several complaints relating to the park, we took the opportunity to send some information regarding our company and the services we provide. We proposed to offer a security service which also supplied a light cleaning operative to maintain the park at a rate that could have being negotiated to accomadate the coucils needs. We were/are willing to work the County Council in order to keep the park safe for public use. I have an added interest in the safety side of things as many of my family and friends use the park on a daily basis by bringing their children there and also for the people that commute across the bridge onto the town. We have not currently heard anything back from c.c.c but from our research, the withdrawel of the service is completely down to a lack of funding.

Its a shame after spending so much on developing the park that they withdraw a vital service on keeping it safe and user friendly...!!

Who were you dealing with in the county council?