City of Lincoln Council's Open Spaces Wardens have been helping to keep people safe across Lincoln’s lakes and green spaces as the summer holidays get into full swing.
The wardens, who have been monitoring the city’s parks and open spaces, provide a visible presence and an opportunity to engage with residents and visitors, while also offering advice and reporting concerns where necessary.
During July, wardens recorded 10 reports of anti-social behaviour, four water-related incidents, and two medical incidents. They also had 56 instances of general feedback and engagement with members of the public, along with one crime report and 10 other non-crime reports.
The patrols have continued into August, with wardens responding to eight reports of people entering the water at Swanholme Lakes and Hartsholme Country Park to date. On each occasion, those involved listened to the wardens’ advice and got out of the water.
More recently, the Open Space Wardens helped locate a fire near Skellingthorpe Park and supported traffic management while Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue responded to the incident.
Cllr Rebecca Longbottom, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place at City of Lincoln Council, said:
“It’s really positive to see our safety patrols out and about across the city, particularly during the summer holidays when our parks and green spaces are much busier.
“The wardens are providing a valuable presence, engaging with people, responding to concerns and, importantly, reminding people of the dangers of entering the water.
“We want everyone to be able to enjoy Lincoln’s parks and open spaces safely, and these patrols are helping us to do just that.”
The Open Space Wardens will continue to monitor Lincoln’s parks and open spaces until the end of October, after which the council will review its effectiveness and consider whether any longer-term measures should be introduced.