In August last year, the Environment Department began inviting the public to give their views on parks to help shape a strategy on the development and management of open spaces.
According to results released this month, nearly a quarter of the 999 people who took part in the survey said that they would ‘avoid’ visiting Jersey parks, particularly Parade Gardens, because of their concerns about drink and drug users who also use the space. Some participants also called for a complete alcohol ban in St Helier parks and ten per cent said they would not visit them because they did not feel safe.
Speaking about the issues in Parade Gardens, St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said that he was not surprised that the public were concerned.
He also said he thought that there fewer States police officers passing through the park on a daily basis due to relocation of the force’s station.
‘They do respond fairly quickly when we call them but we used to see a lot more of a police presence when they were at Rouge Bouillon,’ he said.
‘Last summer, we had quite a few problems and they were just down the road so they could be deployed very quickly.
‘However, there have been some benefits – La Colomberie and Green Street Cemetery have issues of their own and now see a greater presence.’
Mr Crowcroft added that money was being spent to try to tackle the long-running problem.
‘I have been working with stakeholders for quite some time now to try and improve issues with anti-social behaviour,’ he said.
‘Some of it is harmless, but it is very off-putting when people congregate in large groups to drink, who are shouting and with dogs running around especially if want to take your kids to the playground.
‘We have now employed two full-time park keepers who can provide a first response to problems. They also deter people from behaving anti-socially and make sure that dogs are kept on leads.’
Mr Crowcroft added that the parish had received a very good response from park users since the staff had begun working.
However, he warned that the need to resolve the problem could become even more pressing if plans went ahead to relocate the hospital’s outpatient’s department to Westaway Court, on the eastern side of the park.
‘The hospital entrance looks like it will remain facing Parade Gardens which means that people could be walking across Parade Gardens to reach the new outpatients department,’ he said.
‘We cannot have staff and patients feeling unsafe and not welcome while passing through.’
According to figures contained within the results of the survey, Parade Gardens was the most often visited park with 22.4 per cent of respondents visiting, followed by Millennium Town Park (20.1 per cent) and Howard Davis Park (18.2 per cent).
La Collette was the least visited park with just one person saying they visited it often, followed by Sir Winston Churchill Park, Victoria Park and Coronation Park with just two participants claiming to visit the parks on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, more than a third of people said that they did not visit open spaces in St Helier because they were too busy and nearly ten per cent also said that they did not visit them because they were too crowded.
PARKS VISITED MOST OFTEN
NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS WHO VISIT PARK OFTEN – PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL RESPONDENTS WHO VISIT PARK OFTEN
*Parade Gardens 203 – 22.4%
*Millennium Town Park 182 – 20.1%
*Howard Davis Park 165 – 18.2%
*The People’s Park 102 – 11.3 %
*Waterfront/Castle Quay area 56 – 6.2%
*Royal Square 40 – 4.4%
*Jardins de La Mare/La Frigate 28 – 3.1%
*Beaches 28 3.1%
*St Andrew’s Park 23 – 2.5%
*Harbour area 17 – 1.9%
*Green St Cemetery 12 – 1.3%
*Liberation Square 12 – 1.3%
*Town Church Yard 10 – 1.1%
*Mount Bingham and surrounding area 9 – 1%
*Westmount Gardens 7 – 0.8%
*Lower Park 4 – 0.4%
*Coronation Park 2 – 0.2%
*Victoria Park 2 – 0.2%
*Sir Winston Churchill Park 2 – 0.2%
*La Collette 1 – 0.1%
*999 people surveyed – 400 live in St Helier
*80 per cent make regular use of open spaces
Main reasons for using open spaces:
*Sit, relax and think – 64%
*Get some fresh air – 63%
*Have a lunch break – 61%
*Walking – 59%
*Attend an event – 47%
*Enjoy the landscape – 43%
*Meet friends – 41%
*Enjoy shade under the trees – 34%
*Use play areas – 29%
*Exercise – 22%
*What should future open spaces include?
*Somewhere to sit – 69%
*Trees – 68%
*Grass – 67%
*Somewhere peaceful – 53%
*Wildlife – 52%
*Toilets – 51%
*Café – 43%
*Play area – 32%
*Dog friendly area – 25%
*Car park – 20%
