A flagship Dundee park has been left to ‘rot and ruin’ through increased fly-tipping, warns a community group leader.
Bryan Hill, chair of the Kirkton Community Partnership spotted rubbish, possibly containing chemical waste, at Caird Park almost a week ago.
It is understood that the debris (pictured) was dumped not far from the 11th and 18th holes of Caird Park’s golf course.
Bryan said: “Since they decided on closing the recycling plant we have found there has been a steady increase in the amount of fly-tipping.
“I’m in the park with the dogs all the time. I saw it about a week ago and took my phone out on Sunday. Some of the stuff has been there for a few years.
“The park is used by dog walkers, people and bikes. It is a well-used resource.
“We bang our heads off a brick wall in regards of getting it uplifted.”
Items dumped include AstroTurf, a toilet, chemical waste buckets – although it is not known if they are full – as well as tyres and general waste.
Bryan, who has picked up some plastic waste in the past, said: “You can’t send a community group to take away chemicals. There is broken glass, barbed wire, nails stuck in pieces of wood. It looks like somebody cleared out a garden and dumped it. It could be dangerous.
“The park has just been left to rot and ruin. I would say over the past two years the fly-tipping has been getting a lot worse but we have been noticing it for three or four years.
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“We have been onto the council on numerous occasions in regards to this.
“Caird Park is important to this community, it is a great resource, the castle is an amazing resource. We are looking for it to be looked after a lot better.”
He added that the community group have been coming up with ideas on how to improve the area, including a bike track and possible allotments.
Bryan said he believed the increase in fly-tipping is due to charges that members of the public face in terms of uplifting waste.
He also believes that some comes from those who use the park and some is also brought down from the nearby Kingsway.
Bryan is calling for better communication in regards to where to report fly-tipping to, how people can get rid of their rubbish in a better way, and the introduction of barrier measures, such as a fence around the park.
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “So-called fly-tipping is an anti-social behaviour that blights communities and areas where it happens.
“Anyone who does it also acting illegally and the Council has robust procedures to try to deter this selfish and dishonest activity including issuing a fixed penalty notice or reporting culprits to the Procurator Fiscal who has the power to fine up to £40,000.
“You can report fly-tipping on the Council’s website.”
