|
It makes you think, doesn't it? What the hell is going on with the youth of this town? Well it makes me think, not too sure that many others even care. It poses the question "Who might some residents of Bridport be calling 'The misunderstood youth of today?'
 This picture was taken by a dog-walker, early on Saturday morning. The seat was placed on the footpath outside of Mountfield to commemorate the life, and death, of Princess Diana some eight years ago by our then Town Council who had asked 'Minster Joinery' to provide a seat made of a hard wood that would grace the grounds of Mountfield for decades to come and, I might add, at some great cost.
Well, it didn't last many decades. Eight years in fact! The seat has been damaged by a person, or persons, unknown, probably having to use a great deal of force! Jumping up and down on it is my best bet. Do these youths really have nothing better to do? This damage had to be incurred on Friday night (22nd Feb 2008.). The seat was intact at 5.00pm when staff from the Council offices left work and it is known that the area was used by a group of teenagers that very evening. There is only one question to ask these 'misunderstood youths'. WHY? On numerous occasions it has been noted that the grounds of Mountfield (and other public areas), have been used as an outside drinking area or somewhere to 'get high'. Plants have been ripped out of the ground, flowers growing on the edges of the Millennium Green trampled and bushes set on fire or simply pulled apart. If things continue in the vein chosen by these 'misunderstood youths', there will be no public areas that the public will want to visit. Just take a look at the, once very pretty, Borough Gardens in Gundry Lane, all the seats have had to be removed due to vandalism. 'Bucky Doo' and its amenities are regularly smashed or vandalised. This wanton 'destruction' has got to be curtailed, somehow. The best way I can think of is for more Policemen on the beat, rather than just driving around in their 'company cars' maybe? The seat at Mountfield will obviously have to be removed for repair, more cost involved, and might not be replaced for some while, and guess who loses out? The seat is used nearly every day by many senior citizens out for their afternoon stroll, members of the public visiting the Millennium Green and dog walkers just 'taking in the sun'.
The rose was placed at the side of the seat sometime on Sunday afternoon by another unknown person who, in my opinion, must have been disgusted by the wanton vandalism.
I hope this, if you publish it, might prick the conscience of those responsible. If they're clever enough to be able to read - know what I mean?
|
