There have been a number of nasty incidents in Baxter Park over the past week or so and it is getting to the stage that people who live in the area are scared to go out.
The police have been called several times and my husband and I have witnessed several fights and examples of anti-social behaviour in the park.
Why are the community concerns for safety and lighting in this park being constantly ignored by Dundee City Council?
There are, of course, many other neighbours around Baxter Park who are also very concerned that the violence of last year seems to be reappearing.
Action needs to be taken to ensure the safety of residents. — Lisa Campbell, Secretary, Friends of Baxter Park.
Be wary of con artists
I have read all too often about people being conned out of their hard-earned cash by unscrupulous criminals.
If you are offered something that sounds too good to be true, then it will not be true, it will be a con.
The following are just examples of some of the cons that are doing the rounds just now: Fake job ads, fake ticket scams, emails asking for account details and fake prize draws.
Criminals come up with some very convincing cons and I urge readers to refuse to give out any information about themselves over the phone, online or by mail if they are being asked out of the blue.
Before giving the information, check out the organisation and if you are in doubt, contact the police and trading standards. — Allan Petrie, Blacklock Crescent, Dundee.
Dundee school plan fails to match with SNP health strategy
Shona Robison has just launched a high-profile strategy to tackle Scotland’s “Obesity time bomb”.
As this strategy includes “Working with schools to continue encouraging young people to take up healthy habits”, then how can she support her local SNP party spending £11million of our money on a new west end primary school, for 450 children, that will have no playing fields, no proper outdoor sporting facilities and is on a site so small that it is the only primary school in the history of the Scottish Parliament that needed special permission to proceed.
The SNP is not “tackling the obesity time bomb”, they are lighting it. — Mac The Knife.
School ‘too small’ for exercise facilities
I agree with Dundee East MSP Shona Robison, Minister for Health and Sport, that it is vital to embed healthy habits during childhood. I walk my child to school when I can.
We live in a flat, so my son loves running round at school and having that opportunity to do this with his friends, and it’s great that they have the space in the playground.
Once a week, he plays football on the school’s football pitch.
Unfortunately, his class does not get gym time occasionally, when there are other activities going on in the hall and this is with only 10 classes in the school. I am concerned that gym time may be missed more often in the new school, as there will be 21 classes and the nursery school competing for a slot in the hall.
The proposal for a new primary school, to replace Park Place and St Joseph’s RC PS is too small and does not include adequate facilities for exercise.
So, what can Ms Robison the SNP Dundee East MSP do to ensure when my son and the other pupils attend one of the new primary schools in Dundee’s west end, they will receive the two hours of PE a week and have space to comfortably run around with their friends? — O. B. Citee.
West end kids “denied sport”
Dundee East MSP Shona Robison, Government Minister for Public Health and Sport, has been speaking out regarding Scotland’s “obesity time bomb” and her drive for a healthier Scotland.
Health and sport are the two things children in the west end of the city are being denied. Her SNP colleagues on Dundee City Council and in Government believe our children in the west end are not worthy of the same sports facilities and opportunities as all the other children in Scotland’s new schools.
Local SNP Education Convener Liz Fordyce said the Council “don’t have to provide playing fields,” yet with fanfares and trumpets Ms Robison is “trying” to improve things by “working with schools to encourage young people to take up healthy habits”. — Fatboy Slim.
Rating too soft
I’m a regular cinemagoer and used to more lenient classification of films, presumably, I thought, to make more money by widening their potential audience.
Although this now seems to be commonplace, I was quite shocked to discover the recent film release, The Lovely Bones, has been classified a 12A.
Having seen it, I can’t believe this decision.
The subject matter involves a predatory paedophile child killer.
The film is very disturbing and has graphic scenes which are not suitable for a young mind.
The film board would argue it’s up to the parent to decide. But how many parents will actually view the film before taking their kids along? — Kes Jones.
THE ADDRESS for readers’ letters is - Readers’ Page, Evening Telegraph, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. They can also be placed in our post box at our offices in Albert Square, Dundee, emailed to us on letters@eveningtelegraph.co.uk or faxed on 01382 454590. We ask correspondents using a nom-de-plume or sending by e-mail to provide a name and address for reference purposes. The editor reserves the right to reject or edit any letter. Please keep letters as short as possible.*
