Our Situation:

We have a number of men who appear to be in distress/ struggling with addiction and/or the damage from living on the street/unsafe congregate shelter/or possibly unhoused, who use the playground during the day to sit on the play equipment, shoot up inside, and/or to wander around in it. Some just yell, some have more threatening behavoirs/actions. Most are not causing harm, but not an inviting situation for children/parents to play in.

We have dog owners who seem to insist that they get to bring their dogs into the playground, off leash at times which isn’t every young child’s wish. Park staff let me know a while ago that they have to pick up dog leavings.

We have almost daily the free breakfast and lunch truck distributing for children under 18years old. Which means we have even more children, running back and forth from the garden to the playground across the Rivington Streetway.

The latest issue:

Local community, and others, let us know that apparently two Friday evenings ago, a number of 13 year olds (according to witnesses) got into the Rivington playground area – and apparently had guns on them.

The neighbors said they are not from this area.

No one has reported this happening (to us) since then.

Neighbors find it hard to call the police, given the sense that our local precinct is no longer functioning using community policing –  they no longer ask for help here due to concerns for their children’s safety – but they would appreciate some kind of mitigations or help.

It won’t stop whatever happened two Friday’s ago – but it does clarify the use of the playground and create greater use by local adults in the area thus greater safety.

Our Requests:

As we said in the design meeting at CB3 – after conferring with Bob (who sits out on Rivington almost daily) and University Settlement’s Childcare programming, MKG parents, and others who frequently use this playground:

-Move the high outer east side fence to separate the ‘adults with children’ section. The new fence location would align with the right side of the gate opening (as it is now) – a straight line running north/south to enclose the playground area that is only for adults with children. And signage that states that.

-Create a separate area on the East side of that ‘new’ high fence to create a larger seating area outside of the ‘new’ fence where adults and others can sit both during and after playground hours. Use planters to create a garden feel. Have that area brightly lit to deter unsafe conditions.

– More downward lighting facing, in the playground too, would be a deterrent as well.

-If there was a decent space set aside alongside that playground, University Settlement staff, local residents bike food delivery people, our elders, and the public could use that adult seating area to sit in, have lunch, make the park area safer without risking getting ticketed.

-Yes it would shrink the children’s playground but would end the perception and the reality of adult’s without children misusing the playground and allow the police or PEP to insist that adults without children leave that area while still encouraging adults who need a space to use the area (possibly creating greater safety.

– Please leave the city-bike stand – again makes the park area safer.

– Create mitigations to prevent cars or motor cycles or skateboarders from using Rivington Streetway and install traffic calming measures to slow bikes and create an area for pedestrians only.

– PEP officer seated in the Rivington area.

– We’ve had a request for a needle disposal box near the MKGarden to prevent needles being thrown into the Garden edges (maybe after December 1st when the MTA swears it will be out of there.

Do you know if the Rivington lights were fixed yet? Jamil has been asking and we know it’s a DOT issue but given the MTA’s darkened and derelict looking area (with more rats again Dept of Health says) it is imperative for safety now and in the future.

Thanks all.