Cambridge garden plagued by 'large groups of youths' at heart of sculpture row
The council has earmarked £47,000 for a new public‑art piece to be installed in Nightingale Community Garden, a volunteer‑run green space in the Queen Edith’s area of Cambridge. The proposal is part of a broader effort to enliven the Nightingale Recreation Ground with a series of artworks.
Volunteers, led by long‑time pond coordinator Anne Davenport, warn that the garden has become a nightly hang‑out for teenagers who smoke, drink and, on one occasion, sparked a small fire that threatened a historic Swedish Whitebeam tree. The volunteers fear a sculpture could become an easy target for vandalism and litter, adding to the existing challenges of managing large groups of youths.
Accessibility is another concern: the garden’s raised beds are vital for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. A permanent statue could obstruct pathways, making it harder for disabled gardeners to navigate the space safely.
Cambridge City Council acknowledges the worries but stresses that relocating the work would jeopardise the funding and the artist’s commission. Designers have been asked to choose materials that deter vandalism, and the council promises continued dialogue with volunteers and the local ward councillor, Imogen Blackburn‑Horgan, to find practical solutions while keeping the art project on track.