Rundown city playpark compared to nuclear disaster at Chernobyl by councillor

06 March 2024 , 06:58

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He said the park reminded him of eerie footage filmed at Chernobyl following the nuclear disaster (Image: No credit)

An Edinburgh councillor has compared a neglected local playpark to the eerie scenes of Chernobyl, calling it a "sorry state" and demanding urgent investment.

Christopher Cowdy said the children's play area at Stateford's Moat Drive reminded him of "rusted, overgrown" parks seen in footage after the 1986 nuclear disaster, describing it as a "real shame". City officials are now planning to assess the park to see if it needs a makeover. The Scottish Government gives money to local councils to help look after playparks.

In 2023/24, they gave £419,000 to Edinburgh, with plans to give £1.216m the next year and £2.027m in 2025/26. Speaking to the culture and communities committee on Thursday, February 29, Cllr Cowdy said residents felt forgotten about. He added: "I've been down there numerous times and the sight of the playpark is always a real concern."

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Christopher Cowdy said the park was in a sorry state. (No credit)

He said: "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 represent how the town was vibrant with children families but is now left abandoned and desolate - and that is exactly what springs to my mind when I go down to Moat Drive, and it's a real shame for local children.", reports Edinburgh Live.

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The councillor pointed out problems like rusty equipment, paint that's "completely faded or peeling away" and "moss everywhere". He described the playground as "on its knees," saying to other councillors: "This is not a suitable place for children 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 mentioned recent fixes like new "rotten and broken wooden footboards," but noted these seemed done just for safety. He said: "The park as a whole remains in a really sorry state."

The committee agreed to an amendment that highlighted the "particularly poor condition of the Moat Drive Playpark" and decided it should be looked at when planning investments for 2025/26.

Donald Turvill