Greta residents have been left frustrated and fearful over the lack of police action to curb hooning behaviour in and around Greta Central Park.
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According to a group of residents, the problem of high-speeds, burnouts and dangerous driving on the park grounds and neighbouring streets had been a problem for years.
One Evans Street resident, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisals from the “hoons”, some of whom the resident believed lived locally, claimed that anti-social behaviour around the park wasn’t a new issue.
“It’s at the point where we are afraid to say anything,” the resident said.
“Four years ago my husband told someone who was hooning around to slow down and then our car was damaged and the hubcaps were stolen.”
Photographs taken by the Advertiser last week show evidence of churned up ground at the park – the result of burnouts and doughnuts, but residents claim the dangerous driving isn’t restricted to the park.
“The way that some of them drive around here, on the streets near the park like Evans, Orient and Wyndham streets, it’s like a speedway,’ the resident said.
The resident also claimed that the skate park, which sits in the park grounds, had also proven to attract a bad element.
“There is also a lot going on at the skate park – people leaving bongs behind and that sort of thing and druggos often meet there late at night. People have actually moved because of what goes on in the skatepark.”
Another resident, who also did not wish to be named, said that while it was appreciated that Cessnock police were stretched, a stronger presence in the area would help curtail the dangerous activity.
It’s at the point where we are afraid to say anything.
- Anonymous resident
“The issue is now the residents are sick and tired of the whole situation, with many complaining that there’s little point in calling police as they hardly ever turn up.
“A car rolled at the park last year and four hours later, after a tow truck had removed the car, the police still hadn’t turned up. It was lucky that no one was injured but it left a trail of debris and broken glass behind which presents a danger.
“We know the police are very busy and have a really wide area to police, but even if they were able to send a patrol around once or twice a week, that would surely help,” the resident said.
It was also claimed that pedestrians walking through the park had been victimised by offenders.
“An older resident who walked through the park regularly no longer goes through there as he was harassed and abused by someone in a car who pulled up alongside him,” the resident claimed.
The resident said the situation had been reported to council.
“Council have been informed. They said they can fix the ground, but there was little they could do to fix the problem,” the resident said.
While stating that something needed to be done, the resident said limiting access to the site wasn’t an ideal solution.
“Closing access to the park for cars altogether doesn’t really seem fair because of all of the people who use it regularly,” the resident said. “Maybe they could fence off an area for a car park and close access to the park for cars but not pedestrians?”
Cessnock Mayor Bob Pynsent said he was “disappointed” with the situation.
“It is always bitterly disappointing to see and hear about this type of antisocial behaviour affecting our valued community assets,” he said.
“Council staff will inspect the site and work with user groups to determine the best outcome for the facility. We will also be undertaking a masterplan of Greta Central Oval in 2018/19 which will address some of these ongoing issues.”
Cessnock Police did not respond to the Advertiser’s inquiries before going to print.