MP's fight to save Oval playground
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
The Triangle Adventure Playground
Vauxhall Labour MP Kate Hoey has written to Labour-run Lambeth council calling on it to use “common sense” and save the Triangle Adventure Playground in Kennington Oval.
The historic playground was due to be absorbed into the neighbouring Archbishop Tenison’s School.
The Triangle would have been used to expand the school as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF).
But in the wake of BSF projects being axed, the decision which was taken two weeks' ago “must be reconsidered”, said Ms Hoey.
She said: “There is a very strong need for that adventure playground to be there.
“I have always felt there is a way the young people can remain there and the site shared with the school – the two don’t need to be mutually exclusive.
“With the sad news on BSF, this is the ideal opportunity to renew the playground’s lease and let them stay.”
But a council spokesman said the local authority would still not be renewing the lease when it expires in November.
Councillor Pete Robbins, council cabinet member for children and young people, added that the town hall remained committed to expanding the school.
He said it was needed for extra classroom places and new playground space could be added to Archbishop Tenison’s School.
He said: “Lambeth will be in discussion with the Department of Education over this issue in coming weeks.”
Jim Clancey, chairman of the Triangle Playground Association, told the council it would have a fight on its hands.
He said: “Our kids need this space – they need somewhere to go, to build, climb, dig, be creative.
“Come November we will have a sit-in and they will have to get the police and the bailiffs to physically remove us.
“We won’t leave without a fight.”
Email: clare.casey@slp.co.uk
http://www.southlondonpress.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=25676
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