I RESPOND to Coun Vassie's comments about the sell-off of Back Park by City of York Council and ask whether he has been to look at Back Park.

If he had, he would have seen how important this parking area is to local residents, especially those of Salisbury Terrace, who are totally dependent on it as nearby streets are full to bursting with vehicles.

He is possibly ignorant of two other facts. The parking area is the site for the well-attended children's leisure bus "Urbie", which provides street games activity for local children on a regular basis.

This service and other children's activities now take place on Back Park and many Holgate residents voted to dedicate several thousand pounds of Ward Committee funds to those activities this year.

There is no other site for this vital children's leisure service in Leeman Road due to the lack of leisure amenity space.

Also, the majority of homes are two-bedroomed terraces which do not have gardens or drives for playing or parking.

We know the whole of Back Park was given to residents by the Rowntree family in 1911 with a covenant that it be used for leisure purposes.

Any division and designation of that area for housing is inappropriate and a betrayal of the wishes of the Rowntree family.

Coun Sonja Crisp, Holgate Ward, Emperors Wharf, Skeldergate, York.