SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN

Notice 2016 No 17

SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN WHEN USING THE STREETS AND PUBLIC OPEN SPACES IN THE SUMMERWOOD VILLAGE

1. The Village Manager has come to hear of an accident which occurred in the village recently and which involved a resident’s son who was seriously injured when riding a skateboard in a roadway. The accident did not involve a motor vehicle, but the youth at the time was not wearing any protective gear normally associated with the use of a skate- board.
2. The road safety sign above, examples of which have been erected at strategic sites throughout the village, was purposely used in this notice to emphasise upon motorists that the streets in our village are used to a large degree by pedestrians together with persons on cycles and other mobile equipment. However, it was also used to emphasise upon parents that they and their children need to use the roadways with the greatest of caution.
3. At the current time the village is very blessed with a large number of young people who are seen to be very active in many ways throughout the village. As adults and the mothers and fathers, the onus is upon us to be very aware of the children in the village when we are behind the steering wheels of our motor vehicles and using the village streets. But the responsibility extends even further for the parents of the young people. It is absolutely necessary to ensure that our children are very aware of behaving correctly when out-and-about in the village. This answerability does not only involve the use of the roadways and the dangers associated therewith when they are used as an extension of their playing area, but also in respect of the use of the village parks.
   
4. The foregoing photograph indicates the damage caused by children with their bicycles in Greenwood Way park over the past week-end (Saturday, 24^th September 2016), when using the Agapanthus beds as an off-road track. This behaviour is of course totally unacceptable. In terms of the Association’s Conduct Rules, should the children be caught in the act of vandalism of this nature, their parents would be held responsible for the cost of the repair of the damage and in addition would be held liable for an administrative charge of R500.00. In view of the forthcoming school holidays, parents are kindly requested to take the necessary steps to remind their children of the care which is to be exercised when they are enjoying the facilities which the village offers.