We have been advised by email today that the District Council no longer proposes to put a teen shelter in Sweyne Park.
We have been advised by email today that the District Council no longer proposes to put a teen shelter in Sweyne Park.
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Excellent news. Many thanks to Chris for highlighting this enabling residents to voice their concerns. I am no doubt whatsoever that RDC would have gone ahead with this madcap idea “on the quiet” if it were not for Chris’s efforts and vigilance. Well done.
Just a thought. As the idea of a teen shelter was originally raised by residents, at a residents meeting, discussing residents ideas and thoughts for the park, is it not conceivable that residents may raise this idea again?
It amazes me how some residents have so many opinions about what should happen in the park but do not constructively add to the process. If other residents raise the idea again what will happen then?
From what I have read on here RDC were never the lead on this, as usual people are quick to see what they think is happening without listening to the full picture.
Any person tempted to raise the issue again should read the post from the householder in Victoria Ave.
VoiceOfReason: It’s a fair question and I know that a lot of residents want to work constructively. Residents at the introductory meeting for the friends of Sweyne Park came up with a number of ideas, including having a park warden. The ‘full picture’ should include those as well.
What I would like to see is that ideas from residents should be brought to the West Area Committee if they are controversial or require a budget.
Is it possible to get the minutes of the Friends of Sweyne Park meetings added to the Onlinefocus website? It would be interesting to see what has been discussed, and any ideas that have been generated.
Sitting at the cloverleaf playground during the nice weather this weekend it was interesting to see how the playground was being used – the current split (infant/junior/senior in each of the “leaves”) seems pretty pointless, the target age groups don’t seem to even notice the distinction. The infant equipment is pretty uninspiring and doesn’t have much tailored to younger kids, the senior equipment is not used by the older kids but sometimes has the smaller kids using it incorrectly. The see-saw is too big and heavy for the age of child that wants to use it.
The teenagers seem to just want to gather in groups around the swings that are apparently designed for juniors.
Don’t get me wrong, this playground is an excellent facility, located close to family homes and in really nice surroundings. My kids love it. But, given a bit more investment, it could be a lot better.
St1, we are hoping that the Friends of Sweyne Park will have their own website….
ST1: Thank you for your interest in the Friends group. Please email footprints.sweynepark@hotmail.co.uk from where the minutes can be forwarded to you.
You tell us teens to not linger on the streets but are saying its ‘excellent news’ to not have a shelter. There is no where for us teenagers to go in Rayleigh, so rather than playing football in the streets and annoying residents we go to the park, which is an open place for all the general public. We will still go there even if there is no teen shelter.
Rayleigh teen:
First of all, welcome to onlinefocus, RT
I hope nobody is objecting to people playing football in the park.
What they are worried about is stuff similar to what someone wrote to us about recently, for example
“mopeds racing up and down the road and pavement, hooting and shouting,
mopeds and motorbikes racing around and across the park itself,
large groups of yobs screaming and cheering them on or just hanging around the entrance or on our drive shouting obsceneties at the top of their voices,
parts being pulled off cars on our drives,
plant pots being smashed from our front gardens,
groups jumping over and through hedges/flower beds on our properties,
glass alcohol bottles being smashed in the road outside our houses,
wheelie bins being pulled out and emptied in the road,
groups of up to 20 loitering noisily under the lamppost at the park entrance,
groups of up to approx. 60 camping overnight, lighting fires and getting increasingly drunk and raucous,
vandalism of the local school,
smashing of fences/walls,
drunk teens racing cars………and these are only the incidents I can remember at this moment in time.”
I know it’s only a minority who cause trouble like this. Teen shelters can work in some places and I hope and believe that if we had a shelter most users would treat things properly. But many residents I speak to – not just those leave comments here – are concerned that a shelter would attract more trouble to the park without actually improving things much for young people anyway.
And that’s the nub of it for me. Is the best we can do in a town the size of Rayleigh is provide a few shelters? Shouldn’t we be more ambitious? If Hockley can have a bowling alley , what should we have in Rayleigh town centre? Shouldn’t we be aiming for bigger amenities like that?
Please let me know what you think, RT
To sweep all the anti-social problems mentioned above into the teenage bracket must be galling for the MAJORITY of teenagers. A small party always attracts more to join in. Mobile phones play a big part of enabling larger gatherings,instant communication is so easy and heres the big point its FREE. Bowling alley, costs money, Leisure center cost money…All parties have been banging on for years about the teenage problem and it seems are destined to do so until the world implodes.Go into the schools ASK what is wanted and where.
Teenagers with cars are very rarely teenagers.
A bowling alley or even better a cinema showing current films would be really good for Rayleigh, but these things are all dependent on how much money you have to use the facilities.
You will always get teenagers hanging around in groups but not everyone is up to mischief.
Speaking as a parent of a local teenager. They are in a “Catch 22” situation. There is even less for them to do than there was when I was a teenager – youth clubs, community halls with discos etc. Local businesses are not taking them on for weekend or evening work so they do not have the funds to go bowling, cinema etc either.
My daughter dances three evenings a week and the rest is taken up with college work. Cannot keep her on a leash at weekends though. Many of her friends get EMA and so have the funds to go out.
Also, I know of several teenagers with cars. Some have passed their tests and some are learning.
CCR – The Goverment web site says this about EMA: Whatever you decide to do, EMA could help you with the cost of books, travel, equipment or anything useful to continue learning. It’s worth up to £30 a week, and it’s paid straight into your bank account, not to your parents or your college.
Do you think it’s right that other taxpayers fund the cost of our teens going out for the night ?
RR
No I do not think it is right for taxpayers to fund the cost of teens going out. I have to do that from my own heard earned cash. My daughter would love a part-time job. Perhaps if this Government stopped spending our money on all and sundry then we would get some local community provision and infrastructure.
If we get all of the housing they want they will have to provide something surely?
CCR I wish they would but historically??? A town of this size with the lack of social amenities. It does not bode well.