CCTVS and fence at Westland

This week PSNI Chief Inspector Simon Ball told the North Belfast News that the answer to stopping violent behaviour in the Waterworks will come only if CCTV cameras are installed and more fences are built. 

To quote him verbatim, "it is hoped that by restricting unauthorised access to the park through structural changes and installation of CCTV camera these problems may be reduced in the future".

If you cut through the double-dutch, I am assuming Simon Ball means building a fence at the rear of homes at Westland here. 

It's the only part of the park which isn't secure and where youths, intent on causing mayhem, can enter and exit at will.

I would imagine this top cop won't say this publicly, but privately I'm hearing that PSNI officers have told community bigwigs and residents that this is the only answer.

However the idea of a fence is meeting fierce resistance from Westland residents, and I can empathise. 

A string of houses in the estate have an unparalleled view of the park. It must be absolutely fantastic to open the curtains and have such a fabulous vista, and to have this obscured would cause anyone consternation. 

However there must be some level of compromise about this fence. 

Every other part of the park is fenced in, except this section. Surely the fact that youths are getting into the park and stoning cars, houses and people and making a clean getaway takes precedence? 

Young people are regularly clashing in this park, both during the day and at night. 

They muscle up to eachother at the bridge close to Westland Fire Station and hurl abuse or rocks at eachother. 

Then when the park closes and its dark, Catholic youths gather along the Cavehill Road and Protestant youths gather in the Waterworks to antagonise eachother all over again. Homes and families get caught in the cross fire and residents on both sides are fed up to the back teeth with it.

I have attended meetings with residents from both Westland and Cavehill Road and it emerged that children from the area aren't only to blame.  Youngsters are being bussed in from all parts of the city - Ballysillan, Tigers Bay, New Lodge and Ardoyne.  The Waterworks is where you get the craic nowadays don't you know?

On a more serious note, there has to be a meeting of minds here about this trouble. The fence and camera issues need further exploration and dialogue between the two sides there's no doubt, but what I believe everyone wants, is to try and prevent the park from becoming an all-out flashpoint. 

Another interface in North Belfast, and in a park too, how very depressing.