In years to come people will look back at January 25, 2013 and ask why on earth was Battersea Park adventure playground got rid of?

According to the council’s own survey 86 per cent of residents were opposed to the demolition. For about two years the people of Wandsworth tried to save it.  Last month campaigners and members of the Occupy movement took over the park and, by doing so, delayed its demolition by two-and-a-half weeks. The petition numbers doubled during that time.

It was during this period that the council showed its true ugliness.  First of all it refused to consider any alternatives to the destruction, even though the vast majority of people were against their plans.  It closed the adjacent one o’clock club for no justifiable reason, restricted the access of the legal protest – the occupation – and in doing so alienated the demonstration. 

Throughout all this it released false accusations to demonise the protesters, in a desperate bid to avoid discussing the actual issue of the adventure playground’s fate. The people who tried their best to save the playground are heroes, and deserve all of our thanks. 

Wandsworth Council, and in particular leader of the council Councillor Ravi Govindia and Councillor Kathy Tracey, cabinet member for education and children’s services, will forever be remembered for allowing that much-loved public service to vanish forever. In doing so, they have denied so many young people so much joy in the future. 

COLIN CRILLY Via email