Are LIC parks being run down
by high school kids?
21 May
An empty playground at Gantry State Park - Photo by {a href="http://www.ten10studios.com/" target=”_blank”}Jesse Winter{/a}
Over the last month or so, I’ve been approached by numerous parents who have been complaining about high school kids at our children’s playgrounds. A lot of them are complaining that these high schoolers have been “behaving belligerently” and have “no respect to our parks”. Many of them are “loud and obnoxious” and constantly using ”racist profanity” in front of children.
In fact, as a parent in Long Island City, I do see this often, especially at the children’s area in Murray Park. They’re often abusing the playground equipment and sometimes disrupting the play of young children.
According to an inside-source, LIC Spot has learned that the NYC Parks Department is completely understaffed in the area of policing and has zero personnel allocated for security in Long Island City parks. Our source also says that this has led to vandalism and theft, “It’s an ongoing problem and these kids have stolen the metal stools from the cafe area at Gantry Park (costing thousands of dollars each), the red adirondack chairs that used to be in the large lawn area, the blue light fixtures at the pier, a chess table, and even burned one of the wooden lounge chairs a few years back.”
LIC Spot recently reached out to both Senator Gianaris’ office as well as Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer’s to discuss this problem. We wanted to know, who could help parents on this front. Who do we call when we see this type of behavior? The response from both offices was quick and quite helpful.
Senator Gianaris said, “Excessive noise and abuse of property, public or private, are unacceptable in our community. It is important that any such incidents be dealt with quickly before they become an even bigger problem. I look forward to working with community leaders to develop appropriate responses to this type of behavior.”
Also, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer has been working with the NYPD and City Parks regarding this issue. “I have been working with local community residents as well as the 108th Precinct to make sure that this problem is addressed in a swift manner,” said the Council Member. “My office will be working with both the Parks Department and the NYPD to ensure that Long Island City park spaces are preserved for visitors who cherish these wonderful spaces within our community. I will continue to pressure both of these agencies to protect our quality of life.” His office also recommended that we call 311 or 911 when anyone sees this sort of behavior.
Finally, there are plans to build a “Ranger Station” nearby where on-duty rangers will be there to help. Unfortunately, at this point, the library isn’t due to break ground until Fall 2013.
by mister LIC
This behaviour is rude and unacceptable.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! It’s about time somebody started saying something about these kids. I see them after school at the Gantry and they are all over the playground. I never know who to go complain, and one time I saw a parent go up and try to kick them out, but there were too many of them and they just swore at the lady. We need this type of behavior STOPPED right away. Urge your local councilman and senator and whoever is in charge to do something before our beautiful new parks get beaten up.
So where are these kids supposed to hang out? Would you prefer that they do drugs and steal things instead? You can’t just kick them out of the park. You need to think about this before it gets bad.
@ An Adult – The parks they are talking about are for young kids – not high school age kids. And I am so tired of hearing “would you rather the kids do drugs and rob you” as if that is the only choice – either we put up with rowdy jerk-off high school kids hanging out in a playground made for kids ages 2 – 10, cursing and destroying the place, OR we have to deal with drug addict teens who will rob us. Come on….
Totally agree with you M. But where should these kids hang out? We used to be their age and we all did stupid things.
We might have done stupid things, but we (I for sure) did not destroy public places, harassed minors and played the bully at playgrounds.
How about they go to the basketball fields,play sports, hang out at home or hang out in the park (i.e. green space, play baseball/football/soccer) without using playgrounds.
Bullying is a sign of weakness and shouldn’t be allowed.
And just to use An adult’s argument (attention: irony & exaggeration)
If you don’t politely and if needed firmly show them where “Stupid things” are not acceptable they surely will nevertheless end up doing drugs.
I hope this story will finally convince some people that dogs are not behind every problem in LIC…
Wait Andy, had someone been blaming the stolen playground equipment on dogs? What do dogs have to do with any of this? These kids need better parenting, but again, we’re dealing with hormone-infused teenagers. Yeah, stay away from the kid’s playground, but feel free to hang out at the basketball courts. How about an old abandoned warehouse somewhere on near docks? Is that too cruel?
Andy, that is a dumb comment. Sorry…I had to say it. I have a dog, and yeah, they don’t get as much freedom as people do (duh), but we have an awesome state-of-the-art dog run now.
Nobody is blaming anything on dogs…unless it’s an un-picked pile of poop!
Let’s also not forget the people who design these outdoor places are ridiculously bad at it. Why have chairs that cost 1,000s each and seriously- what else would you expect would happen to the hammocks. It’s like these people are not living in reality. But I am sure all these problems will go away once affordable housing is there.
Maybe there are more constructive ways we can help these kids rather than just pointing a finger & wanting them to go away? Not an easy problem to solve, but sounds like it’s in everyone’s best interest to find something that will give these kids something to do.
How about we open up the swimming pool at the high rise on Center Blvd for them? You know, after school, they all have free access to the pool. They get to exercise and have a place to hang. You know that they will behave properly then.
Are you being facetious? I thought you were serious until the last remark.
Totally goofing Sarah!
I agree with your comment, but can you imagine the destruction these kids would do to the pool area? And yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if any building insurance would allow them there!
I actually think it might be a nice idea…what a great way for them to burn some energy! It’s like if a little kid is told “you’re dumb” he’s going to start to think he’s dumb, but if we tell these teens “you can be good at something, you can have respect for yourself & your community” and show we belive in them, then maybe they can. Maybe I watch too many movies like “Freedom Writers!” I bet these kids would love to learn to swim. Maybe they have to complete an application & sign an agreement.
i think the only practical solution is more police. there’s a police station a few blocks away, why do we never see any cops walking around?
I’ve seen them at the diner! ;o)
I’ve seen them at Dunkin’ Donuts!
Gantry is a STATE park and not run by the NYC Parks department.
Run by state or city…not a big difference
Somebody should just take care of it…we have great facilities for us and our kids, we don’t have to permit some “kiddos” to destroy them just because they don’t have anything to do…
Send teens to work for pay for school instead…