May 2, 2016 By Michael Florio
Following complaints of beer bottles, condoms and even a crack pipe being found at a local playground, the Parks Department has begun locking a gate there overnight.
The Parks Department began locking Sean’s Place Playground last Wednesday, Council Member Costa Constantinides announced today. Sean’s Place is located on 38th Street between 31st Avenue and Broadway.
The Parks Department will lock the gate every night at 9 p.m. and unlock it between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning, according to Constantinides.
“This will be all Parks Department staff,” he said.
Constantinides will monitor the playground to make sure that the agency keeps their word, he said.
The Parks Department agreed to do this in response to complaints from parents regarding the conditions of the playground.
One mother, Jenn Schulte, told the Astoria Post last month that she has found broken glass from beer and liquor bottles, used condoms and human feces at the playground.
Via Parks Dept
At times there are baggies used for holding drugs, syringes and in one incident in March, a crack pipe that a little girl picked up, according to Schulte. She added that park benches are sometimes still occupied by people who had slept there overnight.
Constantinides said that locking the gate was the only option.
“The NYPD can’t station officers at every playground and no matter how early Parks [Department] gets there to clean, it is not early enough,” he said. “This is our last resort, but it had to happen.”
This measure is separate from a bill Constantinides is set to introduce this month, which, if passed, would require the Parks Department to lock all children’s playgrounds City-wide.
The Parks Department will continue to lock the gates until work for an upcoming renovation project begins, Constantinides said.
The $1 million renovation will include new play equipment, spray showers, pavements, fencing and plantings, according to the Parks Department. Construction is set to begin this fall and last about a year.
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10 Comments
How, may I ask, do you know the neighborhood crime is being perpetrated by the families that live in the shelter, detective?
Costa and Simotas are both Worthless they pretend to keep Astoria safe but meanwhile the crime has gone up and nothing is being done .. I love how Costa goes stand In Front of the Pistilli building on Ditmars Blvd to get people to Vote or get Signatures ,Surprise those people are not real Astorians , stop trying to accommodate these out of town hippies and help the thpeople that grew up and live in Astoria. Do something about the crime and the garbage that’s walking around the streets late at night trying to steel shit and breaking into cars and houses from that shit hole shelter you Idiots approved ( but it must be nice to get a pay off) .. So do something useful . Both of you should be ashamed of yourself being from Astoria ,
Did anyone try and reunite the crack pipe with it’s owner?
I think the crack pipe is made up to fuel outrage. Notice in the articles that mention the crack pipe it is always an unconfirmed allegation. What crack attic leaves his pipe behind? Even if he forgot it he would have returned to retrieve it. I think it’s just kids hanging out at night annoying neighbors so someone decided to exaggerate the situation in order to spark outrage to put a fire under those in charge.
Put a traffic light in the park. I’m sure that will solve the problem.
It’s his fault for letting the homeless shelters open. Also, the crime has risen. They are weak and he cares about air pollution else where meanwhile the sewers in upper ditmars are dreadful. They tried openi g homeless shelters in Bayside, how come they didn’t allow it. $3000.00 a room in motel is too much. I feel bad for the children. He “acts” like he cres. Him and Simotas are the worst so far.
@anonymous What language is your post in?
Does someone wheel out that podium wherever he goes ?
Hello Mark! The podium goes wherever Costa goes because he is The Man!! Get with it!
That will show those criminals. They wont dare hop over that six foot fence. Costa Constantinides wins again.