MONROE - Neighbors, parents and a Monroe alderman have demanded something be done at Recreation Park.
Some people say the park, home to the city's swimming pool, a tennis court, children's playground and a basketball court, has become a not-so-friendly place.
In an e-mail to some city officials Friday, Alderman Mark Coplien said there is an "enormous problem" with kids at the basketball court and shelter house.
Coplien said people can't walk through the area near the basketball court without hearing "someone yelling a foul word or trying to start something with you."
Coplien said families aren't using the Swiss A.L.P.S. playground because they don't want their children to hear the language used at the basketball court.
"There was even a report given to me of a type of sex act going on at the shelter house with a group of kids watching it, while it was happening," Coplien said.
Coplien said the council needs to act as soon as possible to alleviate the problem.
In the meantime, Police Chief Fred Kelley suggested, and the Parks and Recreation Department agreed, to remove the basketball hoops at the park. They were taken down Friday.
Kelley said that might help solve some of the problems, because most of the complaints were about people congregating by the basketball courts.
According to the Monroe Police Department, there have been 52 calls to the park between March 16 and June 26. Most of the calls have been about too much noise, but there have been reports of suspicious activity and drugs.
People who live near the park agree with Coplien that something needs to be done.
Mandy Versnik said it's not uncommon to hear foul language when she's at the park with her child.
"It's worse in the afternoon," she said. "Teenage kids smoking, and sometimes it's questionable as to what they're smoking."
She said there have been times when she and her child have gone to the park and promptly turned around and walked back home.
"It's not child-friendly at times," she said.
James and Kristie Bessert live next to the park. They notice more noise and worse language this year than in past years.
"There's always swearing," Kristie said. "It's a constant."
James said kids will jump the fence separating their yard from the park, and it's not uncommon for kids to walk through their yard to get to the basketball courts.
"I know people have complained about kids playing basketball at midnight," he said.
A sign next to the basketball court says that playing isn't allowed after 9:30 p.m. Now it will be impossible with the hoops missing.
"There are always arguments," Kristie said. "My niece and nephews can't go back there (to play)."
Jerry Foulker, who also lives near the park, said he heard kids playing basketball late at night and also heard the loud language. He tried to ignore it.
Kelley said his department has increased patrols through the park over the past couple of weeks.
"The problems tend to be kids using the basketball court," Kelley said.
When the weather turns warm, it's not uncommon to find more and more kids spending their free time at the park.
He said the department will continue to patrol the area and reminds people to contact the police if they have any complaints.
Some of the things he's heard about have not been reported before, he said.
"We'll have an active presence there as often as we can," Kelley said.
In his e-mail to council members, Coplien said the park is "attracting gang activity." Kelley said his officers haven't seen any evidence of gang activity at the park.
Problems at the park have been going on for three years, Coplien said in an interview Monday night.
"It's nothing new, but getting worse," he said. "It's a place (where) it just can't happen."
Bill Bethke, president of the Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners, said the board has been aware of the problems, but not the severity. He didn't know if the issue would be on the board's July 16 agenda.
The city plans to be more proactive in its approach to the problems, Mayor Ron Marsh said.
Marsh said he hasn't personally received any complaints about the park, but he does plan to look into the issue.
The city voted recently to add surveillance cameras to the park; Marsh expects the cameras to be in place within two weeks. It's something the commission talked about before there were any complaints about park activity, Marsh added.
"This wasn't a knee-jerk response," Marsh said. "It's been in the planning for a few weeks."
One of the suggestions Coplien presented in his e-mail was to close the park at 9 p.m. All city parks close at 11 p.m.
Marsh said it's not practical to close the park that early, because there often are people there for softball games well past 9 p.m.
"How would you regulate that?" he asked.
Marsh said the park needs to be family-friendly and the problems need to be addressed.
- Times reporter Tere Dunlap contributed to this report
Some people say the park, home to the city's swimming pool, a tennis court, children's playground and a basketball court, has become a not-so-friendly place.
In an e-mail to some city officials Friday, Alderman Mark Coplien said there is an "enormous problem" with kids at the basketball court and shelter house.
Coplien said people can't walk through the area near the basketball court without hearing "someone yelling a foul word or trying to start something with you."
Coplien said families aren't using the Swiss A.L.P.S. playground because they don't want their children to hear the language used at the basketball court.
"There was even a report given to me of a type of sex act going on at the shelter house with a group of kids watching it, while it was happening," Coplien said.
Coplien said the council needs to act as soon as possible to alleviate the problem.
In the meantime, Police Chief Fred Kelley suggested, and the Parks and Recreation Department agreed, to remove the basketball hoops at the park. They were taken down Friday.
Kelley said that might help solve some of the problems, because most of the complaints were about people congregating by the basketball courts.
According to the Monroe Police Department, there have been 52 calls to the park between March 16 and June 26. Most of the calls have been about too much noise, but there have been reports of suspicious activity and drugs.
People who live near the park agree with Coplien that something needs to be done.
Mandy Versnik said it's not uncommon to hear foul language when she's at the park with her child.
"It's worse in the afternoon," she said. "Teenage kids smoking, and sometimes it's questionable as to what they're smoking."
She said there have been times when she and her child have gone to the park and promptly turned around and walked back home.
"It's not child-friendly at times," she said.
James and Kristie Bessert live next to the park. They notice more noise and worse language this year than in past years.
"There's always swearing," Kristie said. "It's a constant."
James said kids will jump the fence separating their yard from the park, and it's not uncommon for kids to walk through their yard to get to the basketball courts.
"I know people have complained about kids playing basketball at midnight," he said.
A sign next to the basketball court says that playing isn't allowed after 9:30 p.m. Now it will be impossible with the hoops missing.
"There are always arguments," Kristie said. "My niece and nephews can't go back there (to play)."
Jerry Foulker, who also lives near the park, said he heard kids playing basketball late at night and also heard the loud language. He tried to ignore it.
Kelley said his department has increased patrols through the park over the past couple of weeks.
"The problems tend to be kids using the basketball court," Kelley said.
When the weather turns warm, it's not uncommon to find more and more kids spending their free time at the park.
He said the department will continue to patrol the area and reminds people to contact the police if they have any complaints.
Some of the things he's heard about have not been reported before, he said.
"We'll have an active presence there as often as we can," Kelley said.
In his e-mail to council members, Coplien said the park is "attracting gang activity." Kelley said his officers haven't seen any evidence of gang activity at the park.
Problems at the park have been going on for three years, Coplien said in an interview Monday night.
"It's nothing new, but getting worse," he said. "It's a place (where) it just can't happen."
Bill Bethke, president of the Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners, said the board has been aware of the problems, but not the severity. He didn't know if the issue would be on the board's July 16 agenda.
The city plans to be more proactive in its approach to the problems, Mayor Ron Marsh said.
Marsh said he hasn't personally received any complaints about the park, but he does plan to look into the issue.
The city voted recently to add surveillance cameras to the park; Marsh expects the cameras to be in place within two weeks. It's something the commission talked about before there were any complaints about park activity, Marsh added.
"This wasn't a knee-jerk response," Marsh said. "It's been in the planning for a few weeks."
One of the suggestions Coplien presented in his e-mail was to close the park at 9 p.m. All city parks close at 11 p.m.
Marsh said it's not practical to close the park that early, because there often are people there for softball games well past 9 p.m.
"How would you regulate that?" he asked.
Marsh said the park needs to be family-friendly and the problems need to be addressed.
- Times reporter Tere Dunlap contributed to this report