Alice Springs News reader Paul Lewis says he goes to Albrecht oval early in the mornings to take the dog.
“This photo shows part of the scoreboard and there are two, opposite the goals at each end,” he says.
“So there is a possibility of impaling yourself on four of them.
“The height of the horizontal bar is about 1500 mm or a ten year old’s eyes.
“Considering the Town Council is supposed to care for our safety, one has to ask, what the heck?”
The News is seeking comment from the council.
UPDATE September 15, 11.19am
A council spokesperson says: “This is part of the sight screen for cricket, which are currently being prepared for the return of the upcoming cricket season. The council team is looking into this.”
For real? Well, easy excuse to lock the gate then.
Watchn, the park is for public use and it is used by sporting bodies, kids and people walking their dogs in a fully fenced secure area.
Whilst locking the gate will prevent the hazard, it doesn’t make sense. Addressing the real issue however does.
“This is part of the sight screen for cricket, which are currently being prepared for the return of the upcoming cricket season. The council team is looking into this.”
For the benefit of the council spokesperson, this hazard is not new. It was clearly a hazard when installed years ago and remains a danger. It was not designed or installed with safety in mind nor has anybody cared to observe the obvious danger since.
Based on a previous experience, I was informed by the council that they are protected from any legal proceedings, should there be an incident. So I can imagine, nothing will happen with regards to reducing the risk of injury or death.
I suggest using the Neatstreets App. Alice Springs Town Council are responsive to issues of public safety … except for the elected part of council.
They still won’t call for a youth curfew despite the neglected kids and neglected rate payers living in a failing society.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the council have done something about this already, until I actually looked at it. They have have simply sprayed the ends yellow.
I cannot over-emphasise the word simply. Judging by the amount of effort that went into the actual job, there would have been more time spent traversing the field to get to both boards, than painting or considering what really needs to be done.
As this job may now tick a box that says “adequate warning provided,” I am somewhat unconvinced that a 10 year old will understand that a yellow bit of paint on the end, means danger.
So now, the kids can be impaled on a freshly painted yellow end of a steel girder.
Whilst it may negate the need to a tetanus jab, they still may require a major skull rebuild or a coffin.
Come on Council, please take this seriously.
Judging from the pictures I took on Saturday 26th September, it appears the council figure the paint job is the permanent solution to a potentially deadly situation, or absolution when something horrible happens.
for themselves.
The readers can judge the picture