Mom Slams Divisive Sign Banning ‘Poorer’ Children from using Play Area on Estate

A mom spoke up against a sign placed outside an estate’s play area banning children who don’t live there from using it.

When Becca Martin took her four-year-old son, Charlie, to a private playground, she found a sign saying only children living in the estate were allowed there. She was shocked and angry after visiting the playground on the Fairways Estate off Holt Road, Wrexham, where the sign was put up to greet them.

Becca, who is also the councilor representing the Maesydre ward, believes the sign relays a negative message to children from families who can’t afford to live in the estate’s £300,000 (approximately $361,525) house. The mother also felt it might make the children feel like they aren’t worthy of the play’s facilities.

So she took matters to Facebook where she posted a picture of the sign stating that every child is entitled to a ‘safe place to play’, irrespective of where their house is. She continued that she was fully aware residents of the estate pay a maintenance fee to maintain the play area. But she thinks ‘that’s not the issue here’. She points out that the sign ‘enforces’ that a child whose parents can’t afford to purchase a house in the estate isn’t welcome there.

She further explained that the rule was ‘unenforceable’ and she would take her son to the play area no matter what.

The spokeswoman for Holmzone Limited, a resident-controlled management company, replied to the backlash. She pointed out that although giving children safe and appropriate access to places to play is necessary, it isn’t Holmoze’s responsibility to ensure all children in Wrexham get that. She reminded that the estate, its two playgrounds, and everything else is private property and is maintained by the estate’s residents. She also added that the sign was put up to ensure that it’s available to children to use.