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Children from the Maida Vale Play Project protest over plans to axe the scheme |
Parents cry shame over plans to axe youth club
Petitioners demand u-turn on ‘Blue Peter’ haven closure bid
ANGRY parents say their children will become housebound video game addicts if the Town Hall railroads plans to close down a popular playgroup in Maida Vale.
The Maida Vale Play Project provides activities for up to 40 children between the ages of five and 12 every day after school and through the holidays.
But it is under threat of closure with finance chiefs claiming dwindling numbers make it unsustainable.
Parents who are campaigning to save the play project, which runs from premises in the Paddington Recreation Ground, say it is a lifeline for their children, allowing them to make new friends and play and learn in a safe environment.
Jodi Monaghan, who will present a petition of names objecting to the closure at a consultation meeting on Tuesday, said she would be forced to give up her job if the plans go ahead.
She said: “I wouldn’t be able to work any more and a lot of other parents would be in the same position. The council talks about putting children first and then plans to do away with the play project.
“It makes no sense. The staff are so good, the kids make loads of friends and it keeps them busy. It’s like Blue Peter every day. What else would they be doing – they can’t play on the streets so they’d be holed up in their rooms playing computer games. I say shame on the council if they close us up.”
The council said they will not be finding an alternative venue.
Sean Cotter, whose seven-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter attend the play project, charges the council with looking for a quick buck – saying the project is being shut so the council can make more money out of the space.
He said: “It does seem the rec is being privatised. Plans to knock down the building and build a private gym have already been approved. My suspicion is that the space the group uses will make way for this. The rec used to be a public space and friendly to children but now it seems everything here from the cricket nets to the tennis courts are all used to generate income. It is eroding the community around here.”
The council says they will wait until the consultation to make a decision.
Councillor Sarah Richardson, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Westminster Council is currently consulting parents on the future of the Maida Vale Play Project and new play opportunities in Paddington Recreation Ground.
“The outcome of the consultation and a review will inform a decision on how play services can be improved and extended to increase access to more children, building on a wide range of free play and sports activities in Westminster.
“Play is an important part of every child’s life and we are committed to providing support for parents and fun and safe play opportunities for children.” |
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