The city of Benton Harbor should make sure the operating hours of its parks are posted at each of them to help reduce littering and other damage to the facilities. So says City Commissioner Duane Seats, the chair of the Economic Development and Parks and Recreation Committee.
Speaking at a meeting last week, Seats said it saddens him to see trash left lying out at the parks.
“There’s no use in having people put money in parks if people are there all night on the grass and everywhere else,” Seats said. “One night there were so many bottles out there, and I felt bad, so many people out there.”
Seats asked if park hours are posted and whether they’re enforced. City Manager Alex Little said not really.
“We have a deficiency in terms of science, period,” Little said. “The city, apparently for some time, has not really had a budget to support signs, but we need them.”
The committee’s Jerry Edwards said some parks have the hours posted, while others don’t. He said many people don’t even know when they’re allowed in the parks.
Seats said the hours of the parks need to be posted, adding an alternative restroom needs to be identified for homeless people who use the parks for that purpose.
