We look at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown News this week in 1984
Lenadoon residents hit out at anti-socials
500 people who packed into a Lenadoon community centre on Sunday last, pledged to take a determined stand against "wanton vandalism and anti-social behaviour”.
This marks the first time a West Belfast community has organised against the massive problems of joy-riding, break-ins and harassment by loutish elements which have been causing severe hardship for local people.
Tempers flared at Sunday's meeting in the Glen Community Centre, and there were several heated exchanges across the floor as residents of the area recounted their experiences at the hands of “local thugs". At the end of the meeting, hundreds of those present put forward their names as being willing to work actively against the vandalism problem. From this number, a committee of thirteen was selected to represent Lenadoon, Horn Drive, Stewartstown and Glencolin.
A statement issued by the coordinating group on Monday, stated that people would no longer tolerate "anti-social behaviour”.
The full statement reads: "Concerned residents of the entire Lenadoon area wish to state that they are no longer prepared to tolerate the antisocial elements, both inside and outside the area. They are determined to eradicate the following activities:
1. Joy-riders who are speeding recklessly along the roads endangering the lives of both children and adults alike;
2. Residents who are receiving stolen property, therefore encouraging the vandal element to partake in anti-social behaviour and also those who are harbouring these people.
The concerned residents would point out that they are prepared to take whatever action they feel necessary to end these activities, and would add that they are also prepared to publish names of those already known, in an effort to stamp this out once and for all.
Finally, we would also like to add that we shall, in the near future, approach clubs, centres and community groups in the area to see what facilities they provide in the area for the young people, and in what way these can be improved upon.”
Short Strand man's 'jaunt' into the world of industry
A SHORT Strand man renowned for his expertise in constructing and refurbishing turn of the century style jaunting cars and traps may soon be passing on his skills to local young people.
For Thomas Ross, who has been salvaging and reconstructing discarded carts at his Thompson Street workshop for the last three years recently held "exploratory discussions" with the small business organisation, LEDU.
Thomas is willing to pass on to a younger generation tricks of the trade which he "'picked up at yards throughout the city over the last 20 years" and which, until now, have remained closely guarded secrets. In particular his steaming process whereby wood can be made "to bend like rubber" is a skill which he jealously guards from rival trap makers.
Thomas Ross at work
"Up to now this has just been a past-time for me but with LEDU backing I could create a few jobs for youngsters and produce about six traps a year," said Mr Ross.
Each trap is valued at over £1,500 and already interest in the horse drawn trap and van market is being shown by American and Canadian firms. A high degree of care and craftmanship involved in the cart making – actually bending one shaft might take a whole day – has appealed to many Belfast firms who have commissioned carts of vans for publicity purposes.
At present Thomas Ross is rebuilding a van for Market's company McVeigh and Company which will be drawn in the Lord Mayor's Show on Saturday.
Editorial
AT a meeting this week held in the Lenadoon estate in West Belfast, over 500 people decided to do something about the vandalism and petty crime problem in their community.
As a community newspaper we have often recommended direct community action in solving these problems and in fact we believe that community involvement is essential if anything practical is to be done. Teenagers and young adults in the main are responsible for most of the petty crime and vandalism that takes place but the seeds of this destruction may have been sown long before that, when as very young children they were not disciplined at home for minor misdemeanours which involved the destruction of other people's belongings.
We feel that it is to the parents themselves that the community must turn if they are to succeed. Too often resources are exhausted providing outlets for young peoples' aggression, through youth clubs, playgroups and holidays, and massive sums are spent every year on these projects. Maybe it is about time that some of the money and energy spent in amusing children was diverted and spent educating, encouraging and assisting parents in their own home to deal with the problems. Too often these commendable play projects are availed of by children from well ordered disciplined homes anyway, and the children who could really benefit from them are absent because of lack of parental direction.
While believing that more resources should be spent in making parents more aware of their responsibility and assisting them where necessary, there are still practical things that an aware community can do. Everyone has to understand, that it is their community duty to stop children (physically if need be) from acts of vandalism, no matter how petty they may seem. To walk by while cars are being stoned, fences ripped out, trees cut down and hedges uprooted, and do nothing about it, has to be recognised by one and all for the act of social cowardice that it is.
Maybe it is about time that the community brought pressure to bear on the various clubs and drinking establishments in our midst to close their doors earlier at night and force those irresponsible parents to go home who drink the night away while their young children vandalise their neighbour’s property. The many off-licences in our community who sell alcohol to under-age young people should be made to stop it or forced to close.
