Graffiti Vandals Destroying Pleasant Park
East Belfast DUP Councillor and MLA Robin Newton has expressed his alarm at the growing level of hideous graffiti in Belfast City Council’s Belmont Park.
Robin Newton said, "This pleasant park has become the target of vandals who seem determined in their acts of mindless defacement to cover all park facilities with ugly graffiti. Every park bench, all park signs and the walls of the children’s play area are splattered with multi-coloured paint. It is impossible for anyone to use a park bench without worrying their clothing will be destroyed. There isn’t even an attempt at any sort of urban art; the destruction can only be described as idiotic scrawling. Damage is also being caused to car park fencing and entrance gates.
"It isn’t youngsters who are travelling a long distance to carry out this hooligan type activity. And the do-gooders so often used excuse about deprivation levels won’t wash as the area is one showing material comfort. Homes worth a million pounds plus overlook and surround the parkland.
"The damage will cost the ratepayers of Belfast many thousands of pounds to put right. And the problem can only be solved with cooperation between the City Council, PSNI and local residents. This repair bill comes out of an already stretched budget at a time when residents are concerned about rates increases and water charges."
