By LAURA WAKELY
BRIMBANK Council may be encouraging residents to “spring” into their local park, but an increase in public drinking is turning people away.
Residents are concerned with the number of people drinking in parks around Brimbank and the cans, glass and rubbish left in the gardens as a result.
Star witnessed people drinking in parks around Sunshine last week, and found more than 30 empty alcohol cans, bottles and casks littering Pollard Gardens.
A resident, who did not want to be named, told Star the rubbish and anti-social behaviour had deterred their family from enjoying the parks.
Council’s Acting General Manager of City Development Stuart Menzies said there are specific areas where liquor consumption is allowed, which he said included many parks with barbecues.
“Council is aware that public drinking is occurring within Pollard Gardens and conducts daily litter pick-ups at the location and weekly gardening and mowing to ensure that it is maintained in a neat and tidy manner,” Mr Menzies said.
But Brimbank’s Acting Inspector Chris Gilbert said more and more people were drinking in parks.
He said that he had spoken to some of the people drinking in Pollard Gardens and that police regularly patrolled parks.
But Act Insp Gilbert was concerned forcing people to leave parks would “push the problem somewhere else”.
“It’s a health issue really,” he said.
“For some it’s for company, some may have associated health issues. To go there and push some out may just isolate them.”
Act Insp Gilbert said a holistic approach was required to ensure everyone felt safe in the parks.
