Residents around the Grouville playground are living under a cloud of uncertainty. The States’ Infrastructure Department plans to let its lease expire on June 24. The playground, situated adjacent to Long Beach car park, has been a cherished space for families, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen an increase in its usage.
Resident Mary Young, who has lived directly adjacent to the play area since its opening in 2009, shared her story about the growing negative impact of noise pollution. The noise funnels up. It functions somewhat like St Paul’s Cathedral, she continued. Indeed, as Young pointed out, it was not until the pandemic hit that these problems became so acute. The dramatic influx of new visitors since then has made that impossible. The home’s further pain has been driven by the creation of two apartment towers, one on each side of her home.
In addition, local parents have spoken out about the need for a local park to continue serving as the neighborhood’s community centerpiece. Park visitor Kat De La Mare has been visiting with her children since they were infants. She showed us what she lost—her deep emotional connection to that special space. It’s the prettiest park on the island. I get pretty emotional about this park. Whenever I’m walking in here, I always stop and take a moment of gratitude for being in just such a stunning space,” she said. De La Mare created a Facebook group and began mobilizing community members to support the installation of the playground.
Fellow West End local Peter Laffoley expressed similar sentiments, emphasizing the urgency to protect the park for future generations. He still takes his grandkids there to play, and he knows the health of his community depends on it being vibrant.
Constable Mark Labey has been pushing for Grouville parish to take on the running and upkeep of the park. We’ve pulled all the cost issues together and will put those out soon, Labey said. He noted that other Jersey parishes like St Brelade maintain their play areas without fuss doing so. He proposed that this same model could work wonders for Grouville too.
Beyond noise and supervision, there are other concerns regarding the future of such an inclusive playground. Charlotte Catallo, a parent who uses the park regularly, shared her concerns over the park’s uncertain future. This further illustrates how much the community depends on this space to be active and how important this site is for the many families that use it.
Mary Young would consider taking her complaints to environmental health authorities if her complaints about noise are ignored. She said this when discussing Grouville parish taking over a playground.
