South Ayrshire Council News

Local people, Councillors and Partnership staff are pictured at the play park in Bruce Avenue.

The play park in Bruce Avenue, previously a ‘hotspot’ for antisocial behaviour, has had a green makeover. Members of the local tenants and residents group spent a day tidying up the area, planting new bushes and generally improving the environment.

South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership is keen to tackle antisocial behaviour and using a ‘problem solving’ approach a group was set up in Dundonald to look at ways of addressing antisocial behaviour.

The Group has been working in partnership with Strathclyde Police, BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers), local Councillors and members of the local community, holding a series of meetings to think of ways to provide constructive and relevant activities for young people.

Councillor Margaret Toner, Chair of the South Ayrshire Community Safety Partnership said: “The play park in Bruce Avenue has been transformed thanks to the hard work and determination of local people. Projects such as this help to reduce the number of incidents of antisocial behaviour and instil in young people a sense of pride in their local community.

“I believe the key to tackling antisocial behaviour is teamwork, getting local people and different agencies involved, who all want to improve their environment, working in harmony.

“I would like to thank the people of Dundonald who gave up their leisure time and worked so hard to improve the play park.”

The project was given a welcome boost by ARCO, a local business, who kindly supplied a range of tools and clothing for people to use while working at the play park.

The people of Dundonald are working together to improve their village and have used redeployable CCTV cameras in some ‘hotspots’ to reduce antisocial behaviour.

A football initiative last autumn that involved local boys and girls proved very popular. Taking part in project helped the young people to get fitter, have fun and socialise in a safe environment and encouraged them to use their leisure time constructively.