Council Asks Administration To Draft Bylaw To Make Entry To City Parks At Night Verboten

What or rather who lurks in the park may be a thing of the past as Council advanced a motion to ban entry to City owned parks in the night.

At their regular Monday afternoon meeting Councillor Kim Robinson brought forth a motion that would have Administration draft a bylaw to restrict the access to parks throughout the city between certain hours.

Councillor Robinson said the bylaw was designed to assist the Moose Jaw Police Service combat “vagrancy and that sort of thing in the park.”

During the introduction of the motion he specifically mentioned Crescent Park as an example where access would be restricted between the hours of midnight and 6 am.

In the past Councillor Robinson has brought up the issue of the mess left behind and people defecating outdoors in Crescent Park during the night.

Additionally certain areas of Crescent Park has become known as a ‘shooting gallery’ where intravenous drug users are injecting illicit drugs and then simply tossing their needles.

Other problems have been vandalism within the park as well.

Councillor Robinson, who is Council’s representative on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, said the motion was in line with what that committee had discussed.

“(We ask Parks and Recreation) director (Derek) Blais and his group bring forth some relevant times and parks.”

During discussion of the motion Councillor Heather Eby posed the question if Council was to receive the report and then decide what parks.

“Are we just going to get the report and then decide what parks…in all parks or just some parks? How are we going to decide?” Councillor Eby asked.

“I believe what we discussed was that the Parks and Recreation (department) would come back (with a recommendation.) They know better the parks and times,” Councillor Robinson replied, stating “it doesn’t have to encompass every park but it could. It is kind of open to director Blais and his group to bring forward some relevant times and parks.”

Council then voted unanimously to have Administration draw up a proposed bylaw.