Denbighshire County Council closed the Drift Park play area in West Rhyl with a promise of a replacement once flood defence work is finished by 2025. However, Member of the Senedd for Vale of Clwyd, Gareth Davies is concerned that this will leave children without a play area at a vital time for their social and personal development.
Commenting, Gareth said:
''Our kids need face-to-face interactions to make new friends and learn social skills that are important throughout their lives. I am worried that children in Rhyl will suffer because of a lack of unique playing facilities in the area and become further dependent on indirect methods of communication such as too much social media and online games to make friends''.
Equally, cost of living pressures makes free to use public spaces more vital than ever so that parents can spend time with their families for free. Gareth completely understands the vital need to promote coastal defences in Rhyl, but it should not be at the cost of children’s welfare and interaction in Rhyl.
Therefore, Gareth is calling on Denbighshire County Council to back his calls to find a new site for the play area immediately. He has launched a petition for residents to express their support for having a good quality play area in West Rhyl for children to continue playing. Gareth said:
''We all want Rhyl to be prepared for the risk of flooding, but it does not have to cost our children their social lives and their own spaces to have fun. Other towns in Wales have both and it is unfair Rhyl is unable to. Therefore, I have launched a petition to allow residents to tell Denbighshire County Council that kids need a play area and how its removal has affected them and their families.''
Sign my petition below:
https://www.garethdavies.wales/campaigns/rebuild-drift-park-play-area
