Park Yourself Somewhere You Can Take Your Mess With You!

After years of literally running to crime scenes and getting winded, I finally put the exhausting sport to good use. A couple of months ago I decided to make running in the park a regular activity – and I now have a goal to complete a 5K in less than an hour.

What better place is there to try to reach my goal, than Canarsie Park! Rounding the biggest track in the park near Seaview Avenue near East 85th Street about three times, I didn't realize what a release running was… How exhilarating it is…I also didn't realize how people could turn our beloved park into a disgusting pigsty! It’s really sad to see the condition of our park after visitors have hosted their “parties” – you'd think a tornado swept through the community!

Last week, activist Wayne Clarke sent us photos of our renovated park following the 4th of July weekend. There was garbage scattered all over the place – debris from food, drinks and fast food joints. I can't say that I couldn't believe what I saw, because when I went jogging one Monday evening, I saw garbage bags and receptacles exploding with party leftovers.  Trash also scattered the manicured grass, blowing all over the place.

Canarsiens don't mind visitors making the best of our park – which took millions of dollars to clean and revamp so that it could stand out as one of Brooklyn's best recreational sites. Hello! This is one of Brooklyn's DIRTIEST recreational sites.

Here’s another thing that puzzles me. When I went running last Saturday morning, the park was clean and quiet. However, there were picnic tables cordoned off with string and yellow tape. Who's reserving space in the park for themselves – and why? There was no community event going on that day...There were families setting up styrofoam coolers and foil pans of food inside of the “lines” they created with string and rope.

Let’s get real! Isn't the park supposed to be a space for everyone? Why are people allowed to claim park space as their own and why isn't anyone removing these “separation” methods used by park visitors?

Usually, when I'm jogging, I see Parks Department personnel hard at work – planting flowers near some of the paths and raking grass along the trails. No one is enforcing any rules – no one is tearing down the yellow tape telling park-going partiers that they can't create their own “space” within a public park – I guess it’s not illegal, but it should be! Some people who host their parties at the park just have an understanding how much grass they've been allotted…on which to litter!

What’s worse, the “No barbecue” signs go ignored and so do all the other sanitary advisements that are posted on small green plaques at the entrance to the park.

Maybe some of you don't care if you've got visitors at your house who turn the whole place upside down when they're only staying for a few hours. But those of us who enjoy a clean and serene park DO mind when visitors treat our recreational space like a dump! Is this what you would do in YOUR backyard after a party – leave a mess behind like animals who ransacked garbage pails – like raccoons in the middle of the night? How would you like it if your neighbors had a big party and left all their trash in YOUR hallway or staircase, so you had to smell the rotting food and leftovers?

Even though there aren't enough maintenance workers to keep up with the trash on the weekends at Canarsie Park, visitors should bring their own gallon-sized garbage bags in which to throw their refuse. Don’t let garbage fly away into the grass – and if it does, just pick it up and put it in a garbage bag!!! How hard is THAT?

While they're at it, visitors should teach their children about cleanliness, too. Don't let kids drop their candy or food wrappers all over the freshly cut grass. Teach them to respect their environment and wherever they DO see a garbage pail, USE IT for crying out loud!!

I'll admit, when I'm jogging through a clean park, it makes me feel better and helps clear my mind.  I’d feel much better trekking in the middle of an open space where no one has soiled – and spoiled – the atmosphere with chicken and sparerib bones…where there are no foil pans piled up against a tree swarming with flies.

I know summertime is when everyone looks for the perfect – and free – spot to host their shindigs, especially when you don't have your own backyard or terrace you can host your guests. But YOU'RE a guest at our park! Abusing and ruining the space authorities work so hard to improve and keep safe is just ignorant and animalistic! 

You're not an animal, right??????