GREEN-fingered council workers are asking residents to help prevent a repeat of last summer’s spate of littering and anti-social behaviour in Rugby’s parks.
Rugby Borough Council (RBC) has joined the national Love Parks Week celebration, and called on residents to play their part in keeping the borough’s parks clean and green this summer.
This year’s Love Parks Week campaign has issued a rallying cry across the country to ‘Love, Respect and Protect’ parks and green spaces.
The plea coincides with the end of Covid restrictions and the start of the school summer holidays, with parks and green spaces in Rugby ready to welcome thousands of visitors.
But the council has called on residents to help avoid a repeat of the problems which plagued the borough’s parks in the summer of 2020 – with sharp increases in littering and anti-social behaviour.
RBC’s parks and grounds manager Chris Worman said litterbugs were throwing away an extra ten tonnes of trash per day in the borough’s parks and green spaces when lockdown eased last summer – with some even leaving human waste for others to clean up.
He said: “Last summer the mindless actions of a small minority often had a negative impact on the vast majority of visitors to our parks and green spaces.
“Love Parks Week promotes the important role parks play in our communities, but also highlights the need for everyone to play a part in keeping our parks clean and safe.”
Research shows parks and green spaces offer health benefits such as improving mental health and wellbeing, and providing environments to explore nature, exercise, relax and play.
Mayor Deepah Roberts visited Caldecott Park to launch the borough’s Love Parks Week celebrations and lend her support to the week’s aims.
Coun Roberts, who chose ‘respect and protect the environment’ as the theme for her Mayoral term of office, said: “Our parks and green spaces were a lifeline for many during lockdown, a safe haven to explore, exercise and enjoy the fresh air while so much of our day-to-day lives was disrupted by the Covid restrictions.
“This summer promises to offer plenty of opportunities to visit the borough’s beautiful parks, and I can only endorse the message of Love Parks Weeks – to love, respect and protect our green spaces in order to ensure we can all enjoy them.”
Love Parks Week, organised by Keep Britain Tidy, has highlighted some steps everyone can take to respect and protect parks:
- Put litter in a bin, or take it home if the bin is full
- Keep dogs under control, and bag-and-bin dog mess
- Be friendly and share space with others
- Respect park workers
- Do not disturb wildlife or damage habitats
- Do not light fires.
