Croydon residents complain after equipment goes missing from children’s playground

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

Croydon children are fed up of playground equipment disappearing from their local park.

A climbing frame was first removed from Grangewood Park back in 2018, and dad-of-two Dan Green says parents have watched it being “slowing dismantled” since.

Even the ladder to access the slide has gone, making it a hazard for children.

Mr Green claims his three-year-old daughter Sky fell when trying to climb up it recently.

The 50-year-old said he has been contacted the council about the issue of disappearing equipment for a while.

He added: “The only way up the slide is to climb up it, my daughter fell and smashed her face. When I told the council this, then they responded.

“In 2020, the council said there was money available which was allocated to this playground and six others in the borough, they said they are still intending to do something but parts keep being removed.

“It used to be really well used but now it is becoming like a bit of ghetto playground.”

Mr Green says if the council doesn’t fix up the playground he would look into setting up a private group of residents to step in.

He continued: “If they can’t employ anyone to do it, we will take the project on ourselves, it is not a big thing to organise.”

Another local dad Reuben Robertson has also noticed the playground going downhill in recent years.

He said: “It has been out of action for a while, it needs to be updated. Things that have fallen into disrepair haven’t been repaired.

“[The council] clearly know about it but they’ve just left it alone.”

And his daughter, nine-year-old Chloe, also wants to see something done about it.

“I really like this park, I would like it to be fixed,” she said.

“I was told there used to be a netting bridge and everything, I really want that to be put back in place.”

A Croydon council spokesperson said: “Delivering a new playground in Grangewood Park remains a priority, however we are sorry to have experienced some delays causing it to take longer than anticipated.

“We can assure the play equipment is safe, as the council performs regular safety inspections, and organises annual independent inspections.”