Thugs Stone Houses facing Poppintree Park. Residents Exasperated and Disgusted

The problem persists…

On Sunday night (25.10.2010) my house (X Cedarwood Green) was again
bombarded with stones thrown by hooded youths in Poppintree Park. Windows
were damaged again – the second time this year – and considering the stone
throwing didn’t stop when I ventured outside my home – it’s a miracle that
no one has been injured… So far. These stone throwing incidents tend to
take place on average about once a month, generally between 9pm and 11pm and
more often at weekend nights or during school holidays than Mon – Thurs. I’m
fortunate that I’ve only had to call a glazier on two occasions, my home has
been attacked far more frequently than the actual breakages would suggest. I
am confident that it is the same bunch of teenagers all the time. And until
something drastic changes with how this problem is dealt with I foresee that
they will continue to harass myself and my neighbours – unchallenged.

A security camera has been installed at the Cedarwood Green entrance to the
park. It’s certainly ineffectual as a deterrent. The park gate is locked
every night with padlocks and chains, yet the person locking the gates would
have to be blind to miss the fact that there are often gangs loitering just
inside the gates – in plain sight – as he locks up. This isn’t addressing
the problem of anti-social behaviour in the park, it’s paying it lip service
but blithely ignoring the actual problem.

The Gardai (Ballymun and Finglas) do their best with their limited
resources. They are called by myself and my neighbours with relentless
regularity, yet no matter how promptly the Gardai turn up, these youths can
just bolt into the depths of the park and out the other side before the
Gardai can even scramble over the wall. There simply aren’t enough points
where a vehicle can access the park.

I’ve spoken to Frank D’arcy of DCC’s parks division the only help he can
offer with his resources at the moment is to ask his crews to try keep the
park clear of stones. Realistically, this is an impossible task and has so
far proved ineffectual as a solution to this problem. The stones that bounce
off the windows and walls of my home are testament to this.

I find it unacceptable and unfair that I both have to tolerate this ongoing
and repetitive problem. I am also seriously out of pocket. I am outraged
that DCC or BRL accept no liablity for damage to properties in the vicinity
of the park. The damage is being done from within the parks boundaries, the
relevant authorities are aware of the problem, nothing effectual is being
done to deal with the problem, and I find myself repeatedly out of pocket.
If the parks cannot be made safe for everyone or as in this case are being
used after hours as the means to cause damage to neighbouring properties,
surely BRL or DCC should accept some of the blame and financial
responsibilty until this stonethrowing stops for once and for all?

As local representatives I am appealing to all of you to intervene and help
with this ongoing problem.