closed #205489
Parks & Playgrounds
605 S Madison St
- Case Date:
- 9/4/2025
I have two specific incidents with photos and videos at Hopewell Park. The particular image I have attached is from 8 o’clock this morning Thursday, September 4. I parked at the Hopewell Park. I see a male and female individual that had camped out underneath one of the two concrete ping-pong tables, I assume all night. They were just getting up, They had been asleep under the table. The adjacent ping pong table was covered with blankets for whatever reason making it in accessible for use. The parking space adjacent to the two ping-pong tables had a van with one individual in it, and two sitting on the cement walls in front of it. It was obvious they were living in this van. I came back through the area on my lunchtime break, and the van had not moved, people still sitting in the van and beside it, I came back through the park again at 5 o’clock on my way home from work, and the van was still sitting in the same location with two individuals sitting outside at. The couple that had everything thrown out on the ping-pong tables was gone this evening at 5 o’clock. My husband and I went there last week to the farmers market and were harassed by a very large group of approximately 13 on house people that were sleeping on the picnic tables, sitting on the swings. We purchased pizza and lemonade Shake up from the vendors at the farmers market, and there was no place for us to sit and enjoy it because this group of individuals had bags, blankets, personal items, Strewn all over the the area. There were two individuals asleep on the table benches. I have videos of all of this. I did report it and share the videos with the parks department liaison that was there for farmers market. Her name was Camille. My husband and I would like to take our grandson to the area and our grandchildren to play ping-pong. I do not feel comfortable with a toddler around the area in fear. There are residual needles and trash from the individuals that appeared to have slept there overnight and hang out there. The fourth incident I would like to report is a small group of individuals were in the park this Tuesday, September 1 and one was practicing some type of karate or something with a long stick that looks dangerous. Again, I would not take our family there around this situation And these groups of people that are intimidating with their words, their actions and all of their belonging spread out around the entire seating areas . I can provide more videos and photos upon request