Residents unhappy with ‘concrete slab’ for play area
In the April issue of the Leys Independent we reported on the campaign by occupants of the maisonettes on Field Avenue to get a children’s play area installed in front of their flats. For several years the
residents have had an ongoing battle with the council to get even the most basic repairs and maintenance carried out.
Many of the residents live on the top floor of the maisonettes and without a secure play area there is nowhere safe for the children to play apart from on the balcony running along the length of the flats.
Because of this the Blackbird Leys Housing Office originally promised to provide a play area but later told tenants that it would not be going ahead with this after all.
More recently, however, housing manager Martyn Mumford said his department would in fact be looking into installing the play area.
So when workmen recently turned up to lay a concrete base in the old drying area in front of the maisonettes residents happily thought that at last there would be somewhere for their children to play in
safety.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing the small concrete area is all that has been provided. The IWCA contacted Martyn Mumford to find out what was going on and his response was that in light of the money
supposedly spent on the maisonettes he expected substantially more to be provided than a concrete slab.
So far the IWCA hasn’t been able to find out exactly what the council’s latest plans are. One thing that is clear, however, is that the children of the Field Avenue maisonettes deserve something better.
The current provision is an insult and the campaign will continue until suitable play equipment is installed.
Leys Independent, issue 24, July 2004
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