What's wrong with jumpers for goalposts? Residents win battle to get controversial goal wall moved (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Residents win battle to get rebound wall at Alexandra Park moved
3:00pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News
The rebound wall
A REBOUND wall installed in a park two years ago has been moved at a cost of nearly £2,000.
The wall, which serves as a goal and a wicket for a small all-weather pitch, was originally installed in March 2010 as part of a £60,000 investment in new play equipment at Alexandra Park, Parkstone.
At the time, the development, funded by the government’s Playbuilder scheme, caused controversy in the neighbourhood, with some residents claiming the council had not carried out a thorough consultation.
After a public meeting, the council agreed to make changes, including altering the planned orientation of the rebound wall to minimise potential disruption to local householders.
The wall was installed towards a path separating the multi-use games area from trees behind the back gardens of houses in Palmerston Road.
But a few days ago the area was fenced off and a notice put up to say it would be closed for two weeks while workers relocated the rebound wall.
A spokeswoman for the Borough of Poole said the work, which is costing £1,940, was being carried out in response to “public demand” and would change the direction of play away from the properties, reducing the number of balls going over fences and cutting disturbance to residents.
One resident, Sue Hockey explained: “Everybody that backs on to the park has had lots of balls coming into their gardens. One had her fence broken with lads climbing over to get their balls back. We had four balls coming into our garden in an afternoon.
“We were all against them putting in the wall anyway. The problem was they had already ordered it. For years, children put sweaters down for goalposts, but they played further up in the park.”
Comments(9)
Morrigan
says...
3:37pm Wed 3 Oct 12
I wonder how you would feel if you constantly have kids breaking down *your* fence, or multiple knocks at the door every day by kids asking to get their footballs back?
The fact is Alexandra Park is fairly large, so it would surely make sense to have sited the goalpost wall away from housing?
pete woodley
says...
3:39pm Wed 3 Oct 12
norwood70 wrote:Very good comment and so true.
NIMBY of the month award goes to Sue Hockey “Everybody that backs on to the park has had lots of balls coming into their gardens". Was the park there when you moved there?? I suppose you would be happier with a waste ground area full of kids smoking and drinking. More of these facilities are needed to keep the youths off the street and give them somewhere to go.
norwood70
says...
3:43pm Wed 3 Oct 12
If all these people have to moan about in life than a few football occasionaly coming into their garden then the good on them.
rayc
says...
4:25pm Wed 3 Oct 12
norwood70 wrote:How do you know that is all they have to moan about in life?
But times have moved on. The youth of today deserve and expect better facilities than "jumpers for goalposts" - that went out in the 70's. People will always find something to moan about when it comes to providing modern facilities for our youth.
If all these people have to moan about in life than a few football occasionaly coming into their garden then the good on them.
ctrewyou
says...
4:37pm Wed 3 Oct 12
If you have a garden that backs on to a park then, yes, you are likely to have the odd football come over, perhaps even a broken window or fence. It happens, sorry, and really is not the end of the world, but not the most anti-social behaviour in the world. If you would rather the kids were inside on their computers, then fine, but most reasonable people with think differently. And as has been said, the park was there before you moved in. And, Morrigan, another load of rubbish, you wont have kids 'constantly' breaking your fence down or knocks at your door 'every day'. A lot of kids go to school, and did you see the weather this summer? Not many football-playing days unfortunately, so I doubt anyone was inconvinienced 'every day'. Again, this would have been nothing to do with the wall.
And to say 'we were all against them putting the wall up anyway' is another load of rubbish. I am a local resident, and was at a number of meetings, where the majority of people were in favour of the wall. I do agree the new position for the wall is better though, as less balls will end up in the trees (not the gardens)
BarrHumbug
says...
5:22pm Wed 3 Oct 12
Peggy Babcock
says...
7:54pm Wed 3 Oct 12
rotcoddam
says...
9:52pm Wed 3 Oct 12
norwood70 says...
3:27pm Wed 3 Oct 12