By ‘This is where parklets go to die’
Photographs have emerged showing Louth’s infamous parklets stowed away in storage after they were permenantly removed from their original location.
The structures, which cost £62,000, were largely condemned as a “waste of public funds” and were met with numerous incidents of vandalism and criminal damage.
Speaking on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council, Chris Miller, Head of Environment, said: “We have taken the decision that the Parklets will not be returning to Mercer Row.”
People immediately took to social media to question what the materials might now be used for, referencing the large amount of public funds consumed by the project.
One person wrote: “Probably in the Councillors back gardens now ready for next Summer!”
“At least that’s all the wood sorted for bonfire night,” added another.
When asked authorities confirmed that the parklets would not be destroyed or go to waste. A spokesperson said that they would be reinstalled in a more suitable location.
Chris Miller continued: “We will now find locations best suited to the seating units that will mean that they will continue to be used in the manner that they are designed for.”
In the latest update images have emerged showing the parklets stored away in a council depot in Horncastle. The photograph’s original poster wrote: “the remnants of a parklet, spotted in the council yard at Horncastle. This is where parklets go to die.”
One frustated local called the installations “unloved and unwanted,” while another added: “They say they will be relocated but I bet they will sit there for years and then be skipped once we’ve all forgotten about them.”
When contacted Lincolnshire County Council reiterated Chris Miller’s statement, confirming that the parklets will be used elsewhere.
They said: “The Parklets have not been discarded. They are currently being stored in depot whilst what happens next to them is decided. The units will be used elsewhere in the county to the benefit of communities where appropriate.”
Updates to follow.
