| Lochee member Bob Duncan said today he was appalled at the state of the play complex at Camperdown Park, which has been repeatedly targeted by so-called graffiti artists in recent weeks.
Almost every piece of equipment has been defaced by the spray painting of tags — the signature of an individual artist — and a larger mural has been painted on the side of a storage shed.
News of the vandalism comes a day after the Tele revealed nearby Camperdown Leisure Park is being used as a gathering point for under-age drinkers at the weekend.
Councillor Duncan, who takes the son of a friend to the park, but had not been for around two weeks prior to last night, said he was extremely angry vandals had left one of the finest children’s playgrounds in the city in such a mess.
He said, “I have just been to Camperdown and the playpark is absolutely covered in graffiti — the area has been literally ruined over the last few weeks.
“It is the real jewel of the city’s play areas and it has been well maintained and kept that way for a long time.
“It really is quite sad to see what these vandals have done as the park has always been really well appreciated by visitors and parents, who get a lot of pleasure from seeing their kids having fun.
“I don’t think there is one piece of play equipment that has not been vandalised.
“When I went up there with a toddler he had a great time.
“The graffiti didn’t spoil his fun, but it certainly spoiled mine.
“The park is appreciated by so many people and this is just a disgrace.
“It is an area I have always been quite proud to take visitors to — it was modernised fairly recently and has always been kept really well — and what has happened is just shocking.”
Mr Duncan said he had spoken to the council’s parks department about the vandalism and had also informed police.
He said he had been told a clean-up might be difficult as the vandalised play equipment is itself brightly coloured and the heavy duty cleaning fluids used to remove graffiti could damage the original paintwork. |
