SEATTLE — On June 23, the hours at Golden Gardens Park changed as Seattle Parks and Recreation implemented a new pilot program it hopes will mitigate an increase in public safety issues and illegal activity at the park.
The park now will open daily at 6 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. and close nightly at 10 p.m. instead of 11:30 p.m., according to a release.
The modified hours will last for 270 days and then be reevaluated to determine if the strategy helps decrease public safety issues and other illegal activities that have happened at the park, including acts of violence, excessive noise violations, illegal fires, among other incidents that have occurred.
Park officials said they have already implemented several strategies to discourage “illegal behaviors.”
- Public education: To clarify and publicize beach fire rules and other park rules, they are using the website and social media resources, sandwich-board signs at the park and, most recently, two large electronic reader-boards stating that fires are allowed in authorized firepits only and the time by which fires must be extinguished. (Reader-board messaging may change to reflect updates.)
- Enhanced staffing: Five staff members are on the beach nightly. They remind park users that fires can be in firepits only and must be extinguished by 9:30 p.m.; remind park users that amplified music is prohibited; pick up litter; and clean and restock restrooms.
- Reduced hours for fires: Staff extinguishes beach fires by 9:30 p.m. nightly.
- Park entry: Staff denies vehicles entry when the parking lot is full.
- SPD coordination: They stay in close communication and strategize with the Seattle Police Department regarding efforts to enforce laws and prevent illegal behaviors. A new Memorandum of Agreement between SPR and SPD, in effect May 30, is expected to enhance enforcement efforts.
- Ambient encouragement: They installed trailers with clusters of powerful LED lights to discourage illegal activities by brightly illuminating the beach at 9:30 p.m. each night.
However, despite implementing those strategies, officials said safety issues continued to persist, causing concerns from community members.
Beach fires will continue to be allowed this summer in designated fire rings but must be put out by 9:30 p.m. To see beach fire rules, click here.
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