SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- Drugs and graffiti were just some of the problems filling parks around San Diego, with most of the activity happening during the night hours. A curfew has now been put in place for several parks.
Community members and city leaders threw a party Friday morning to celebrate the change. Residents have been rallying for a curfew at City Heights Square Mini Park, which sits in the middle of an assisted living facility for seniors. Neighbors say before the curfew, they observed everything from gangs and drugs at the park.
“We are this beautiful community,” says Delia Contreras. “We have kids, we have a lot of good things, but the drugs are no good.”
Since the beginning of the year, 217 crimes have been reported within a 1,500 feet radius of the park. The crimes include assault, theft, and vandalism.
“To me, San Diego is a paradise, and we need to clean up the whole town,” says Ronald Tieken.
City Heights Square Mini Park will now have a nightly curfew from 9 pm to 5 am.
There were other parks around the city with the same problems. Cedar Ridge Mini Park, Montclair Neighborhood Park, North Park Community Park and North Park Mini Park. These parks will now have a curfew of midnight to 6 a.m.
“It took a lot of time because we didn’t want to take just one site, so we opened it up for other sites to bring their concerns in, and five parks were identified to go forward with it,” says Raul Contreras, with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
City Heights Square Mini Park will also offer programs for all ages, like aerobics and arts and crafts. The events are free of charge.
