Southway resident's one man mission to brighten up Plymouth park
A WELL-KNOWN Southway resident is on a one man mission to construct a new pathway for local walkers to enjoy – in spite of the destruction of vandals.
Michael Gibson, an 87-year-old former Royal Navy electrical engineer, has been working on laying a new stone slab pathway through Beverston Millennium Park all by himself.
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Michael Gibson has been working hard to maintain the park for seven years. Recently he has been building a new path mainly on his own
But the park trustee of over 10 years is in a race against the vandals who have taken to undoing his handy work.
He explained: "I go up to the park with a wheelbarrow most days and do all the laying, concreting and levels myself. Everybody thinks I'm mad doing this at my age.
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"I was infuriated recently when I found that someone had already come along and uprooted some of the slabs and smashed them up.
"It is my own time and money that has gone into this. I'm trying to introduce a little colour and tidy up the place."
Despite the destruction Mr Gibson is battling on and hopes to have the path completed by the summer.
"I want to get it put in because currently, if someone wants to go for a walk in the park and fancies a stroll on the bank they will more than likely end up on their backs as it is so steep."
Mr Gibson – who appeared in The Herald last week highlighting Southway's litter problem – is recycling materials to get the job done.
He added: "I was walking not long ago and a man was ripping up these great big paving slabs from his drive. He said he was going to take them down to the tip so I offered to have them off him. I've managed to lay about half of them down so far."
And the one man operation is determined to do it by the book – a council official will be inspecting his work next week to check it is safe.
2 Comments
by CharlieDodd
Friday, February 22 2013, 7:49PM
“He looks like Doc McCoy in Star Trek”
by DoNotBook
Friday, February 22 2013, 10:04AM
“Love this guy!!
Such a shame people are ruining something he has worked so hard for.
Stuck between 2 scummy areas though, Belliver and Beverston Way.”