A TRAGEDY has been averted with the installation of a gate between the King George V playing fields and Brickfields Road, a Rainbow Hill resident has claimed.
Edita Zarnovskyte made the call nearly a year after her beloved dog Ernie was lucky to survive after being hit by a car when running directly out onto the road.
Ernie escaped through a gap in the fencing at the KGV fields and in addition to ensuring the safety of four-legged friends, Edita hopes the new fence will also ensure the safety of Rainbow Hill youngsters.
Speaking after the fitting of the gate, Edita talked of her relief the area will now be safer.
“As a dog owner, you do everything you can to take care of your pet. We were terrified when Ernie was hit last year, and it could have been so much worse,” she said.
“I wanted to help make sure this could never happen again, and I’m grateful to Coun Zoe Cookson for doing the hard work to get the gate fitted.
“This really feels like a tragedy has been averted,” Edita added.
The new gate has been installed after a long and determined campaign by Rainbow Hill Labour Coun Zoe Cookson who has worked with the relevant bodies to bring the idea to fruition.
Coun Cookson welcomed the new addition and expressed her hope it would enhance community safety on KGV fields and in Rainbow Hill as a whole.
“This was a long campaign, but it was definitely worth it,” she said.
“Making sure the community is safe is one of the single most important things a good councillor can do, so I was proud to battle to get this gate installed.
“In future, parents and pet owners can use the KGV in the knowledge that they’re well protected,” Coun Cookson added.
