Our town is notorious for violent crime and murders but we love where we live – here’s why
A CITY centre park is a hotspot for violent crime and murders but the locals who live there say they love it.
The historic Dane John Gardens in Canterbury, Kent, has seen better days with signs of neglect and vandalism – and a murder took place just around the corner last week.
Despite that, a local resident’s group say things are looking up for the area and crime and anti-social behaviour is being tackled.
Friends of Dane John’s chair Amanda Browne, told Kent Online: “Our little-known group of volunteers have been quietly working away for the last three years to help improve the gardens.
“Council initiatives such as a new children’s play area, new gates with night-time shutting, more lighting and CCTV cameras will make the gardens a safer place for our city.”
The gardens were once given a Green Flag Award but in recent times they have become a focal point for crime and vandalism.
Last November, part of the park’s bandstand was smashed to pieces in what was described as a “senseless act of violence”.
Between 2020 and 2021, almost 100 crimes were reported in the gardens, including 12 sexual assaults.
Last year, police investigated five sexual offences, three cases of arson and criminal damage, along with 36 other incidents in the park, the local news outlet says.
John Ellaby, who has lived in Dane John Gardens for more than five decades, believes the park’s bad reputation is “vastly exaggerated”.
He said: “I’ve lived here for 54 years and never thought of living anywhere else.
“I think the reputation it has for crime is vastly exaggerated. There may be misbehaviour from time as there is in any city.
“But I can honestly say at no point in the entire period that I’ve been here, have I witnessed anything that would be regarded as anti-social or dangerous.”
In an attempt to put an end to the crime and bad behaviour in the area, Canterbury City Council recommended last month new measures should be introduced which would see the main gates locked on weekend nights.
Mr Ellaby though says this doesn’t go far enough to tackle the issue.
He said: “Them closing the gates at night is a good thing, it’s only at the weekends now, but I think it should be every night of the week.
“Westgate gardens are closed at night and this place should be too.
“And I would definitely like to see more policemen here, especially at night.”
Resident Lesley Thomas says it is the sense of community that makes Dane John Gardens special.
She said: “There’s a huge sense of community among the people who live here.
“We all know all each other and we all contribute to make it better, physically and financially.
“The council are trying the best to maintain it with the budget they have, but I don’t think they realise how much this park is valued.”
A spokesperson for the council said last month: “Because of the importance the council places on the Dane John Gardens, it is at the heart of our successful £19.9million bid to the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
“The park remains one of the city’s most popular open spaces that is enjoyed by thousands of people week in and week out.
“Sometimes it is the victim of its own success because of the wear and tear that brings.”
The council also has plans in the pipeline to improve the area.
In 2021 it revealed plans for a new £110,000 children’s play area to be installed in 2022 and now the work is due to start this September.
There are also plans to repair the Simmons Monument and the mound it sits on, after the 19th century pillar was put on Historic England’s at-risk register of listed landmarks.