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Lisson Grove play centre |
West End | News | Lisson Grove play centre | IMPS | Broadley Street Gardens | Parents
PARENTS up in arms over the closure over a Lisson Grove play centre have warned that the park where they are based will fall prey to drinkers and drug dealers when they are evicted.
The Independent Mothers Pre-school (IMPS) was invited to set up in a cabin in Broadley Street Gardens 14 years ago by the parks department to try and rid the area of anti-social behaviour, say parents who are angered by the U-turn.
The play group, used by 26 two to five-year-olds, will close temporarily in September but has been told there will be no space for them when the year-long emergency subsidence work is completed.
A campaign, spearheaded by Labour MP for Regent’s Park and Kensington North, Karen Buck, is demanding that the parks department foot the cost of relocating the group, which could be left £20,000 out of pocket.
Last week Ms Buck said the closure spelled a “crisis” for parents, coming in the wake of closures to the Maida Vale Play Project in Paddington Recreation Ground and the Sure Start Centre in Queen’s Park.
Donna Pagnello, who runs IMPS, said parents felt like they had been used and dumped by the parks department.
She said: “We feel like they are getting rid of us because we have served our purpose and cleaned the park up.
“We are part of the park, which is supposed to be for the community.
“Most of the children live in concrete estates with no gardens, and the park is a safe space where they can run around.”
Parents, who have collected a 400 signature petition to keep IMPS in the park, have accused the council of keeping them in the dark over the group’s future.
They fear the group has become a political football in a departmental battle between the parks department and children’s services to try and avoid the £20,000 funding sting.
Ms Pagnello said: “It’s so frustrating. We’ve known about the closure for a year and only when Ms Buck comes on board do we start to get any answers. I’ve written countless letters that have just been ignored.”
The council has denied the park will become a haven for anti-social behaviour when it reopens.
Cllr Sarah Richardson, member for children’s services, said: “The only reason the pre-school is moving is because of substantial subsidence across Broadley Street Gardens.
“Work is essential to allow the council to make the area safe and Westminster will pay for the costs of the pre-school’s temporary relocation.”
The park is due to reopen in July 2009 following a complete overhaul of the design and layout. |
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