October 18, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Park
Continued from page A-1
on the Goldsborough Creek,
a block behind city hall, is no
barrier. Park patrons have
torn off boards to feed fires,
entered the yard to steal furni-
ture and rifle through bottles
in the recycling bin, and on
one occasion, urinate on Jack-
ie while she was weeding.
"I'd like to see the .seren-
ity restored to the park ...
but the city doesn't have the
money or the time to enforce
the rules," Jackie said.
'I~e Lautts shared their
fkustrations on Monday night
as the Shelton City Commis-
sion considered what tO do
with the tiny park.
During the past year, the
city's Parks and Recreation
Department has removed
wooden picnic tables due to
vandalism, and barbeque
pits to discourage fires.
The Parks and Recreation
Citizens Advisory Committee
hosted a neighborhood meet-
ing on Sept. 27 to discuss so-
lutions to park issues, which
include not just the rowdy and
illegal behavior, but destroyed
vegetation and grass trampled
away into barren dirt.
Shelton Parks and Recre-
ation Department Director
Mark Ziegler recommended
that the city close the park on
Oct. 30 by erecting a fence,
and then spend the next
eight months restoring the
grass and native plants and
installing a parking barrier
establishing the park bound-
cry. The park tentatively
would reopen June 30.
The commission passed
the recommendation by a 3-0
vote, and the measure will be
on the common consent agen-
da at the commission's study
session at 2 p.m. Monday.
But Shelton Mayor Gary
Cronce said he has qualms
about reopening a restored
park, only to see it again mis-
used by patrons and continue
to be a dangerous site.
"I think (the negative be-
havior) will all happen again
unless something changes,"
he said.
Cronce attended the Sept.
27 neighborhood meeting,
and said he was shocked by
what he heard.
'~-hat they've gone
through is World War Three,"
he said. "What they've gone
through is unbelievable." long to the citizens," she said.
Commissioner Dawn Pan- Jackie Lautt said she
nell said she remembers supports the temporary clo-
spending tranquil lunch sure, but agrees with Mayor
times at the park a few years Cronce that the criminal ac-
ago. Maybe if patrons fre- tivity will continue without
quent the park in a positive some kind of rule or enforce-
way, it will drive away abu- ment changes.
sive patrons, she said. The Lautts pointed out
Commissioner Mike Olsen that the landscape of the park
said he favors the restoration makes enforcement difficult
plan. "To rehabilitate it is the for Shelton Police officers.
only way to save it ... reha- Law-breaking patrons at
bilitate it and make it part of the river's edge are hard to
the community," he said.see, and they can toss their
Shelton resident Tristendrugs and alcohol into the
Star told the commission she river when officers arrive.
also supports rehabilitating Sometimes, they are notified
the park, which provides per- by texts from other youths
haps the only public access to positioned at the entrance to
the river for people with dis- the park, the couple said.
abilities. The park is an aes- Both Lautts said they have
thetic asset to the city, "just watched open drug dealing
picture perfect," she said. and use, youths poring al-
Shelton resident Tracy cohol into water containers,
Moore said she feels badly and frequent fistfights.
for the park's surround- But "the most annoying
ing neighbors, but said she thing to you is the noise,"
hopes the park is not closed Glen said. "The language,
down permanently, and it's all yelled ... Every
%Ve need to reoccupy our other word is an obscenity for
public spaces because they be- some of them."
l
Located on Hwy. 101 between Shelton & Olympia
360,,'426o4 4,3
gall Far Details and Pric!ng to Other Areas
Page A-8 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012
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