There were two playgrounds on the housing estates in Szczytnica. There were, because, as the residents themselves say, one day they were dismantled on the orders of the Wójt of Warta Bolesławiecka. “Many young people with children live here,” says Izabela Rogula. “We no longer have a playground, and the youngest children have to play somewhere.”
Now the children from the housing estates jump on walls or play... in a rubbish bin. “Perhaps we should throw tow ropes over the trees and let them pretend to be Tarzans,” jokes Anna Pulda.
According to the residents, the playgrounds disappeared because they did not have safety certificates. “The Wójt wanted to hand them over to the homeowners’ associations,” says Ms Anna. “But no homeowners’ association will look after a playground without a safety certificate. If something bad happens to a child, we will be responsible for it. The Wójt wanted to wash his hands of responsibility. The association refused, so he came and took the playgrounds away. Only two sandboxes with dirty sand remain.”
“We constantly hear that there are European Union grants for playgrounds, but we have nothing,” says Ms Izabela. “Why doesn’t the Wójt make his land available and build such a playground for our children?” asks Ms Anna. “We feel like outcasts from society,” she adds sadly.
The Wójt Rebuts the Accusations
“The residents of Szczytnica approach certain matters with a sense of entitlement,” comments Mirosław Haniszewski. “The Warta Bolesławiecka municipality has no property or land in Szczytnica. And building anything on private property is not a task of the local government. I cannot build a playground on private land.”
“I offered the residents the opportunity to take over the playgrounds free of charge,” explains Haniszewski. “In response, I received a letter saying that they did not want to assume responsibility for the facilities.”
As the Wójt emphasizes, the playgrounds did not meet European Union standards. “We had to dismantle them,” he says. “Residents of the Warta Bolesławiecka municipality bought the play equipment for the symbolic price of one złoty.”
Do the municipal authorities see any way out of this situation? “The residents of Szczytnica can meet with me and discuss the matter,” Haniszewski declares.
Update: 2009-09-14 11:50
As the Wójt informed us, since 2002 the Warta Bolesławiecka municipality has invested PLN 3.5 million in the Szczytnica housing estate. “Per person, this amounts to considerably more than in the municipality’s other localities,” adds Mirosław Haniszewski.
(information ii)