‘Council refused to trim grass at local park – I took matters into my own hands’

A father-of-two took matters into his own hands grass in his local playground had grown so long that he believed it was becoming a safety hazard.

Adam Milde, from Chaddesden, decided to trim the overgrown grass at Waterford Drive Park’s playground earlier this week, concerned about the safety and accessibility of the area.

Adam claims that not only did the long grass make the park look unattractive, but it also posed a safety risk. 

He noted that the stepping stones in the park were “completely covered” and believed they had become a tripping hazard.

The 33-year-old tarmacker, who lives adjacent to the park, has two young children who have been unable to use the park recently due to its “unsafe” condition. He felt the best solution was to take action himself.

In a display of gardening defiance, Adam borrowed a petrol-powered strimmer from a friend and spent three hours cutting back the grass on Monday, June 24, despite the sweltering heat, reported Derbyshire Live.

Adam, a lifelong resident of Chaddesden, said: “At first I thought the council were doing the No Mow May thing to help with wildlife and I can understand that but, for me, to leave a park overgrown is something I find quite disgusting really, especially where kids come and play.

“The thing that prompted me to do it really was the fact I take my son and daughter their frequently and they have been getting stung by the nettles frequently. I know that a lot of families on the estate use the park, so I just thought I’d do everyone a favour, it was just getting ridiculous.

“I was there for around three hours on Monday, but I’m sure that the council could do it in 10 minutes with the equipment they have. I really think that parks are an incredibly important asset to each town and city, it’s where people grow up and make memories, all of that is out the window if no one bothers to keep them in good nick.” 

Adam says that, despite trimmings of the grass still being present in the park and on the playground, it is still a “much better” alternative to the long – and potentially unsafe – grass that was there before. When asked whether he thought more people should volunteer like he has, Adam responded: “Although it’s good for people like my to step in and sort these issues, we shouldn’t have to.

“We pay our council tax with hopes that the areas we live in are well cared for and safe for our families to play in and this is a perfect example of that not being the case.”

Adam, alongside thousands of others in Derby, rely on these green spaces to offer activities in the summer months. Earlier this week (Tuesday, June 25), Derby city’s verdant spaces came under fire for excessive grass growth, with a cemetery in particular drawing ire.

Locals branded the neglected state of the grounds “disgraceful” and “disrespectful” to those at rest there. Locals say the rampant overgrowth is causing chaos at the site, leaving pathways blocked and graves shrouded in a veil of towering grass and weeds.

The Pentagon Island roundabout – a once-praised “Derby in Bloom” showcase – has also fallen victim to neglect.

A Derby City Council spokesperson said: “The recent wet and warm weather has led to exponential grass growth, and whilst some grassed areas may appear longer for a while, we are deploying all available resources to manage this increase and keep the many acres of grass mown across the city. Our resources are being focused on key areas, such as highway grass verges.”