Islington Parks – Spending too many pennies!

Published: 27th May, 2011
by PETER GRUNER

PARK users in the north of the borough protested this week against escalating prices for sports facilities, lack of changing rooms and public conveniences.

At Tufnell Park Playing Fields the price of tennis has just increased from £8 to £10 per hour for adults while children can still play for £4.50.

At the same time, the toilets and changing facilities have been out of action for months after a water tank burst. People using sports facilities were instead instructed to use toilets at Whittington Park, in Archway. 

But these too are out of action – and so is the disabled toilet at the brand new Whittington Park changing rooms.

Now park users are being told to use the children’s toilets at nearby Foxham Road playground.

Tufnell Park resident Peter Doring said the increased cost of a game of tennis and the lack of toilets in the area is deterring people from using the playing fields. 

He added: “I thought the idea was to encourage people to take exercise, not discourage them.”

Another resident, Angela Royston, said: “It’s not much fun for families with small children to keep having to run back home to use the loo.”

Junction ward Lib Dem councillor Arthur Graves asked why Islington Council, which is spending £2million improving Archway, could not fund a refurbishment of the park’s facilities.

“Ten pounds an hour for a game of tennis on a concrete surface is an awful lot to pay,” he said. “But when you also have no basic facilities like toilets then that is just not fair to park users.

“And it’s certainly not an ideal situation when adults are being told to use toilets at Foxham playground which were built specifically for small children.”

Councillor Paul Smith, the Town Hall’s executive member for the environment, said: “Even though we have had the largest central government cuts in London, meaning fees must rise, the council has shown itself to be on the side of residents by providing discounts to the people that need them.

“We’ve made sure we can offer concessionary rates for residents on a low income and it’s also possible to get a reduction on the price with an Aquaterra Izz card.

“Repairs to the shower and toilet facilities at Tufnell Park are taking longer than we’d hoped due to the scale of the faults with the boiler. 

“I apologise for the delay but when it’s finished residents will have a much better facility,” he added.