Division of Parks

[Joe Ott]

I was at Lakewood Park Monday night and was alarmed by three things I saw-
1- a lot of people walking their dogs (past the no dogs allowed sign).
2- a lot of garbage on the ground (around the band stand area).
3- a city worker drive off Edgewater past the band stand thru the grass past 1 and 2 above.

What's going on with the parks? They're a mess. Except for Celeste Park which recently had a crew working there. Lets not let the parks go down the tubes. I know a resident over by Sloane Park which is a complete mess. This person called the Division of Parks to ask when/if it is going to be taken care of. This person was told the Parks Division has no money and there are no plans to do anything.

Anybody no if this is true? Must be if someone from that department said so. Is the Division of Parks broke? Just curious, I'd hate to see Lakewood Park go down the tubes.

BTW, I was there Monday night for a Boy Scout meeting. After the meeting the boys from Troop 115 cleaned up the area and picked up an amazing amount of garbage such as empty cups and so on.

[Bill Call]

This person called the Division of Parks to ask when/if it is going to be taken care of. This person was told the Parks Division has no money and there are no plans to do anything.

The condition of the parks has nothing to do with money or manpower.

The Division of Parks has a budget of $1.5 million for wages and benefits. How much should it cost to mow a lawn or pick up rubbish?

The Division of Parks has 27 FTE's. How many manhours does it take to mow a lawn or pick up rubbish?

The Division of Parks has 8 part time security guards. Just what is it that they are guarding?

If there is no money why does the average FTE get 111 hours of overtime each year?



This is not a money problem it is a management problem. I suppose a good start would be to find out why each employee uses an average of 17 sick days each year.

I have the suspicion that there is a conscious attempt to degrade service using the excuse that "We don't have enough money!". AKA: Your taxes are too low.

I would say that that is a dangerous game to play in an election year but the people of Cuyahoga County fall for it every time.

How many days were you sick last year?

[Paul Schrimpf]

Jogging to Lakewood Park every other morning, there does seem to be an excess of trash that astounds me at times. Trash in fact is a general problem everywhere in the city. I've adopted three streets in my neighborhood as my personal cleanup areas -- Nicholson, Cove, and what could arguably be described as the trash heap of Lakewood, Thoreau between the tracks and Detroit.

My initial passes down each street resulted in two completely full grocery bags of garbage. Now, I get down each street about once a week and get about half to a full grocery bag of trash.

Mostly, it's Dorito wrappers and drink containers from the locals, and plastic drink containers tossed from cars. Lots of cigarette packs, etc, as well.

I picked Cove and Nicholson because they are "gateway" streets from Clifton and Detroit. People drive up and judge the neighborhood by what they see. Hopefully, what they are seeing is better this month than last. Thoreau -- clearly, no one gives a crap about it, including most of the residents. There was trash in front lawns I had walked by for weeks that no one picked up before I took on the route. Maybe if they see someone cares enough to clean it that others will follow ... doubt it, but who knows.

No one needs more to do, but we could use a little more "Steel Eye Cody" and "Woodsy Owl" these days. Anyone remember when litterers were social pariahs? I still can't get myself to drop even a gum wrapper.

[Jeff Endress]

How many days were you sick last year?

Sometimes having to come into the office itself makes me feel sick.....

But the real question is, despite feeling, shall we say, under the weather, how many days did you not come into work?

Jeff

[Joe Ott]

How many days were you sick last year?

Three. I get five.

[Joe Ott]

But the real question is, despite feeling, shall we say, under the weather, how many days did you not come into work?
Jeff

Still three.

[Joe Whisman]

Paul,
Thank you for helping to clean up my street.
I too am concerned about the state of the parks. We are forming a committee to maintain and rebuild Kid's Cove. The equipment has a life expectancy of about 25 years. It is six years old and on life support. There will be a web site up soon. We do have an email info@caring4kidscove.com

[Joe Ott]

We are forming a committee to maintain and rebuild Kid's Cove.

Joe, just a thought... in your meetings and planning you might consider contacting a local Boy Scout Troop. They are often looking for ways to complete/work on 'service hours' and so on.

Ditto your comment to Paul.

Joe

[Beajay Michaud]

I picked Cove and Nicholson because they are "gateway" streets from Clifton and Detroit. People drive up and judge the neighborhood by what they see. Hopefully, what they are seeing is better this month than last. Thoreau -- clearly, no one gives a crap about it, including most of the residents. There was trash in front lawns I had walked by for weeks that no one picked up before I took on the route. Maybe if they see someone cares enough to clean it that others will follow ... doubt it, but who knows.

Paul, Thanks for cleaning up Thoreau. I walk my dogs down Nicholson to Clifton and go up Thoreau. I was shocked the first time I took Thoreau how different two ends of the same street could be. The first part off Clifton is very nice and the yards are well kept. However the second half looks like a trash dump. I've quit going that way, some days there is so much broken glass on the sidewalks.

We had a kid run out and hit our female rottie with a 2 x 4. While the parents just sat there and watched (the parents thought that it was funny). Of course if my dog would have bit him, my dog would have been at fault.

[Beajay Michaud]

The Division of Parks has 8 part time security guards. Just what is it that they are guarding?

Not the Basketball courts...

[Paul Schrimpf]

Joe, just a thought... in your meetings and planning you might consider contacting a local Boy Scout Troop. They are often looking for ways to complete/work on 'service hours' and so on.

This is good advice. When I did some work on a "Habitat" project through my employer in Lake County, the Scouts were there in force. The great part is they come with troop leaders that command (and get) respect and hard work, so you're not trying to herd cats. You tell them which hill you want them to climb and they just get it done.

[sharon kinsella]

Paul and Joe W -

Thank you - I love it when people find solutions and implement them.

One thing I do - when I see people dumping ashtrays in parking lots or throwing trash I talk to them and tell them that I don't appreciate living in their garbage and if they are not physically able to clean up after themselves I will do it (this is especially effective if it is one of my bad days and I'm walking with a cane).

[Esther Hazlett]

Paul-I would like to echo my thanks for your hands-on approach. You've inspired me to get a set of those grabber-thingies and pitch in.

The neighborhoods are one thing, however-the parks are different. We are paying people to keep them up. It is innerving that this upkeep is not happening.