Fury after fire thugs target brand new park in Kirkintilloch

A SICKENING £23,000 worth of damage has been caused at a new play park – just weeks after it opened following years of campaigning.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Nov 2012, 14:38 BST

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Vandals targeted the new facility in Adamslie Drive, Kirkintilloch, and set fire to special safety matting.

The park only opened at the start of the month – the culmination of three years of hard work by the community-led Adamslie Play Park Group.

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The callous attack happened overnight on Friday, October 19.

Fiona McDonald, chairperson of the play park group, said: “The park was fine on the Friday afternoon, but a couple of very upset kids came to my door on the Saturday to say someone had set fire to it.

“The matting didn’t just cost a couple of pounds, it was £23,000. It’s disgusting that someone would do this.The kids are really upset. It’s only three weeks since it was opened. It sickens you, we worked on this for three years. We are so angry.”

The play park group is now trying to find funding to repair the damage.

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The project was originally funded with grants of £40,541 from Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN) and £9,985 from the Big Lottery Fund. East Dunbartonshire Council also came on board to help complete the project.

David Devine, the council’s head of roads and neighbourhood services, told the Herald: “The vandalised area of safety surfacing has been inspected and is to be restored to its former condition.”

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