On Wednesday, the lock on the waist-high fence at the Maple Lawn playground didn’t do much good.
The grounds at Albany’s Maple Lawn, the preschool at 1950 Salem Ave. S.E., are on one of Vickie Pruitt’s walking routes, and this week she had a question about the place. So the answer man went to work.
“I was wondering if you .,. know why it’s not open for public use,” she wrote. “We used to be able to use it regularly as I thought it was a public park. Then they locked both the gates quite a while back.”
When she checked again the other day, one gate was left open but, but the warning (below) about camera surveillance and “no trespassing” would have kept most people out.
So what’s the deal?
The city-owned property is managed by the parks department, which also used to run the preschool in the building. But now Greater Albany Public Schools operates the preschool under a three-year contract with the city. The playground and lawn are not actually an official city park. At least the property does not show up on the list of Albany parks.
When I asked her, Parks and Recreation Director Kim Lyddane checked on what was going on with the fence.
There had been problems with transients camping behind the building, she reported.
“It was causing some issues for staff and patrons,” she told me in an email. “The temporary locking and the signage was to help communicate that it isn’t a spot for that type of activity after hours. We are in the process of revisiting this strategy as there (are) more traditional recreational activities taking place at the park and school.”
When I looked at the scene Wednesday, it didn’t appear that the strategy had worked all that well. As you can see, someone had torn a gap in the fence big enough to squeeze through. And the gate, while closed, looked like it was barely hanging on.
This fence wouldn’t keep transients out even if it was higher.
This seems like a pretty nice little playground. You’d think kids in the neighborhood wouldn’t mind playing there when the preschool doesn’t need it, on weekends or in the summer.
And if the city wants to keep transients from camping there, as it should, they’ll have to think of something other than this fence. (hh)
Postscript: Kim Lyddane, the parks director, adds that the gate and the fence will be repaired or replaced once the parts, already ordered, come in. Further, she says the plan is for the park to be open after school and on weekends. She says the parks department will continue to work with the police and the new park service officer — once the person is hired and starts work — to clear any campers out.
It’s a public space, so let’s dispense with the “you can’t be here” attitude.
What values should guide who can access a public space? Is a “transient” included? Or, is an undefined basket of deplorables involved?
Today it’s “them”, tomorrow it could be “you.”
Save your judgement and punishment for real criminals – those that inflict real harm on others through force or fraud.
City/govt buildings are a “public space”, but access is still restricted. No difference here.
Maybe the solution is to fence off the area where the transients are camping instead of denying all use by everyone else….
Different subject, while out this afternoon, I passed BottleDrop and saw 3 APD units. Continued to Lowes and saw some lady puking her guts out on Hill St. WTH has happened to our nice small town???
“It’s all growed up.” Has been for years… It’s just more visible now.
You should have turned on Oak.
The city shouldn’t target “transients” (homeless people) who have no indoor place to sleep.
Criminalizing sleeping outdoors on public property constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
The SCOTUS and the Ninth Circuit ruled on this issue in 2019.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/poverty/474763-supreme-court-upholds-homeless-right-to-sleep-in-public
Put some up at your place.
Anita, you could always invite them to your house
9th circuit court is the most overturned court. It’s the place where LIBs try their crap because they know they get a favorable ruling on anything.
PERIOD!
And SCOTUS upheld this one. What’s the problem?
So, people can sleep IN City Hall? This property is NOT a public place, just publicly owned.
The poster’s reference to SCROTUS simply does not apply. BTW, thanks for those weekly yard trash pickups. 8 EMPTY cans in a row for my money.
To get back our property rights, the city should reorganize as a corporate business and issue shares to each taxpayer in proportion to the amount of local taxes we pay. That does not propose that we are cruel and unusual to the homeless but it will let us take care of our own business at our choice. Property rights should not be tampered with, even by the SCOTUS. They are the essence of our freedom.
Parks are a treasure for the community and shouldn’t be allowed to be overrun by a few. We need to draw the line or else the line will just keep moving. Helping people who don’t want your help only enables them. Termites don’t bother we, until they’re in my house.