New locks for town park
Published: September 13, 2009
Grand Ridge is trying to secure its park.
Even though the park has locks, council members and staff members say the locks are ineffective because there are too many keys.
“Everybody has a key now,” town manager J.R. Moneyham said.
Moneyham said it appears people have duplicated the keys to the park without authorization. The result is that too many people have access to park without town knowledge.
Many days, recreation staff enter the park in the morning and find damage that was not there the day before. Moneyham said people are entering the park after dark. Some even take their recreational vehicles on the property.
“We have seen the effects of the damage without knowing who the perpetrators are,” Moneyham said.
Recreational vehicles are not allowed on park property. The vehicles tear up the ball fields and destroy other parts of the facility. Besides the damage the vehicles are causing, Moneyham said the town has dealt with other vandalism incidents at the park.
The town is going to try to solve the problem by installing all new locks. The keys cannot be duplicated without authorization from the town.
“People are going to have sign for the keys and be responsible for them,” Moneyham said. “It will stop four- wheelers from doing doughnuts in the field and knocking down things in the pavilions.”
The keys will permit access to the vehicle gates and ball park lights. Moneyham said it is essential to know who has access to the lights. Because of higher electric rates and increased usage, the town’s utility bill for its recreation facilities has increased by 35 percent.
“We are trying to keep the cost down. Most of the coaches do a good job in turning them off, but there are times when the lights are on and not being utilized,” Moneyham said.
During its regular council meeting, council members unanimously approved replacing the locks at a price tag of about $1,200.
“It would cost more money to fix the equipment that gets broken,” Mayor Chris Wright said.
Pedestrians will still be able to enter the park. The park has lights on the running paths and basketball courts that stay on until 9 p.m.
Moneyham said it will probably be a month before the locks are installed. The town will have to create regulations and procedures concerning the keys and their distribution.
Besides the locks, the park is also getting some new signs. The town will post signs at the park, notifying visitors of the town ordinance that prohibits loitering at the park after the park closes. The purpose of the ordinance was to not only to prevent vandalism, but also to prevent any fighting or other illegal behavior.
“If they see a sign, maybe they will leave,” Wright said.
Moneyham said the town staff and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office do patrol the parks to ensure that people are obeying the law.
“We are doing everything to keep our park safe and secure,” Moneyham said.
Reader Reactions
Wow RC, you mean they should punish those responsible for the vandalism instead of everybody else? You think citizens (the owners) should be able to use the park they paid for? What a novel idea!
Is this a PRIVATE park? NO.
Who is paying for this park? Tax Payers.
So if I understand this correctly. The town of Grand Ridge is proposing locking out the owners of this public park because there is vandalism occurring due to a lack of enforcement of current laws that prevent such activity.
What ever happened to common sense?
Vandalism is going to happen no matter how many locks is bought. This is due to a lack of supervision. Instead of spending money on new locks, why not have deputies patrol the area more often and not at routine times. Or better yet, place security cameras in undisclosed locations and catch the vandals.
But of course we wouldn’t want to really find out whose children is being permitted to stay out all hours of the night, now would we?
Oh - I got it now.
Put “DO NOT DUPLICATE” on the new keys.
Let’s see…
They have locks, but too many people have keys. At least that is the explanation.
Here is the problem: You have too many Indians, not enough chiefs.
As a result of this very common bureaucratic problem of too many keys, unauthorized vehicles and vandals get in and cause trouble.
People are doing donuts in the ball field.
You have vandalism, fighting and other illegal behavior.
The brilliant solution = change the locks. This means that the old keys will not work, but I can go down to Ace Hardware and get a key made for a $2.
There used to not be too many keys, but now there are, so changing the locks is the solution? Who thought that one up? A key holder?
Maybe it will work for a little while and then the council can say “what a good idea we had!“
There is nothing wrong with the locks and there never was.
The problem is people are duplicating keys for their friends and family - need a key? Oh I got one right here, go make a copy - no better make 5, my sisters cousin needs one..
They are going to “try” to solve the problem with new locks. The old locks didn’t work so replacing them will?
They are going to “try” to keep the costs of lights down? How about saying we “are” going to keep the cost of lights down.
Replacing broken equipment costs more than new locks. Duh. The locks are not the problem here.
Let’s get some new sign while we are at it. “Maybe” the people will see the new signs. Well I certainly hope if you buy a new sign, you put it where somebody will see it.
“Most” coaches do a good job with the lights? Why don’t all the coaches to a good job with the lights? If the coach does not do a good job with the lights, that coach can’t use the lights anymore.
Isn’t Grand Ridge in Jackson County?
Doesn’t Jackson County have laws?
Doesn’t Jackson County have a sheriffs department?
Hint:
While you are busy figuring out where to buy your locks, put some deputies out in the park at nights for a while, catch the hoodlums, fine them $1000, take away their trucks and beer for 30 days, make them clean up the park for another 30 days.
No need to change any locks.
Eliminate all the buts, maybes, shoulds and mights in your speeches - change them all to “do”.
Cost: deputy time - but if they are not busy, make this their new preoccupation.
Return: $1000 a pop, vehicles and other paraphernalia to auction, free labor to clean up the messes - paint, remove graffiti, resod, cut grass, pull weeds, etc., etc., etc.
Somebody put me in charge.
Advertisement