An Olympic themed garden on a once-troubled Coventry estate was officially opened by residents this week as a symbol of hope for a brighter and more peaceful new year.
Residents at Woodway Park celebrated the garden’s completion along with Police, councillors Ed Ruane and Lynette Kelly and local housing provider Guinness Northern Counties, who have all worked together to rid the estate of teenage troublemakers.
The garden has been created on the site of a former play area, which had become the focal point of antisocial behaviour for several years.
A group of out of control youths had been making life a misery for many of the law abiding residents with Police regularly being called to deal with arson attacks, smashed windows, drunken street brawls and drug abuse as well as graffiti and vandalism. Many residents say they were terrified to go in or out of their own front doors, whilst other complained of youths urinating and having sex in doorways.
The residents, many of them elderly or with young families, eventually decided the only way to beat the problem was to stand together against the thugs.
Working closely with Guinness Northern Counties, the Police and local councillors they provided the vital evidence needed to secure legal injunctions against four of the main perpetrators in September 2010.
Their success in the Courts restored relative peace to the estate, especially after one of the alleged ringleaders moved away.
Since then they have worked together to transform the play area to make it a facility for all to enjoy. With funding of £17,500 from Guinness Northern Counties and labour provided by the housing association’s property care team, the dilapidated play equipment, hard surfacing and railings have all been removed. The new garden has been designed around the Olympic theme in anticipation of next year’s Games in London, with five circular beds set into the newly laid turf and directional signs installed showing the distance from Woodway Park to former Olympic host cities around the world.
“By the time the games commence in July 2012 these beds will be a blaze of five different colours” said Simon Curry, Estate Services Manager from Guinness Northern Counties. “ Together they will represent the Olympic spirit of peace and unity that residents have helped to bring back to this estate.
“It’s been a long struggle” he said, “but like true Olympians they have persevered to get the result they want for their neighbourhood. We’re delighted to have been able to help bring this garden to life and to have dealt with the troublemakers who were making life so intolerable for their neighbours.”
Local resident Mrs Iris Essex, aged 82, from Jonathan Road, said: “The area has been transformed from what it was and it looks lovely. Everyone who comes to the area comments on it. The team from Guinness Northern Counties have really worked hard on it and we’re looking forward to next year when it’s all in bloom.”
Neighbourhood Police Officer Chris Booth commented: “At the height of the antisocial behaviour problems, we were getting over 20 complaints a month but since June it has dropped significantly to less than one a month. We know we still have further work to do but our joint efforts are clearly paying off and the team from Guinness Northern Counties have done a lovely job of the play area.”
Ray Shaw, 77, another resident of Jonathan Road, added: “I carry out scheme inspections on walkabouts on Woodway Park with the Guinness Northern Counties neighbourhood team and I would give the work they have done on the park and the rest of the area an Olympic gold medal!”
The seven week project also provided work experience supporting National Vocational Qualifications in Environmental Services for Guinness staff and apprentices, in partnership with training provider Upturn Enterprise.