Dear Editor:
The July 4th weekend offered a perfect opportunity to measure the extent of use North Hudson County Park experiences over a holiday weekend.
The limited oasis is in the center of a densely populated urban area with no abatement of development in sight. This means that the park plays a major roll in the lives of literally thousands of people who come to picnic, sun bathe, jog, walk, skate, play tennis, soccer and baseball.
For more than 27 years, I have used the park to walk, jog and play tennis, and from time to time throughout the years I have taken part in park clean-ups and tree plantings. While it’s good to see the public enjoying these few acres of open space, it’s disturbing to see the indifferent desecration of park property. Litter is being discarded all over the park. Since staff has been reduced, it is an overwhelming job to keep the park clean and leaves no opportunity for staff to undertake any pro-active assignments such as creating flowerbeds, landscaping and litter removal in the wooded areas.
The County deserves much credit for the major job that is now underway in the park. With the infusion of new dollars a new soccer field is being built, the tennis area is being renovated and what looks like a new drainage system finally being installed around the lake. This investment represents taxpayer dollars whether county, state or federal.
It is a perfect time now to be pro-active to protect our investment and not wait for the desecration to begin. For some years now I have advocated a public relations and educational program to raise public awareness about the value of the park to our quality of life. Of course this job must also be done in the schools and in the home.
During the seasons when the park gets the most use, namely spring, summer and fall, we should have personnel in the park with the competence to perform as park rangers and enforce the regulations. A broader plan would include programs where rangers could give lectures and tours of the park, identifying plant life, small mammals, insects, etc. and the value each plays in the balance of the park environment.
Based on the amount of property damage and littering that is visible, there clearly does not seem to be effective enforcement. Sheriff’s officers, sitting in cars in the parking lot or road, do little or nothing to prevent damage and littering. Until there are on-foot or scooter personnel to protect the park from abuse, the destruction will continue. To ensure that future generations will have a viable park, serious measures must be taken to sustain a green and safe environment for passive and active recreation and to protect the plant and animal life that struggle to survive in this urban oasis.
David Kronick
Former Assemblyman