Case Date:

8/10/2023

While visiting Bryan Park on 8/9, I observed mowing with a gas engine lawn mower of grass already at a very low height. Greenhouse gas emissions are a concern from unnecessary mowing, and the area being mowed was very large. For a city with a sustainability office, one would expect either the use of electric lawn equipment and/or mowing only when necessary. Please consider training staff to mow using environmentally friendly practices.

Case Date:

8/30/2016

BBQ not bolted to post well. Swivels when you open the lid.

Case Date:

6/3/2019

Hi, First, thank you for removing the leaves from Park Ridge Park, the excellent park in the Park Ridge neighborhood, in April. Now, it seems like it is in need of a little bit of post-winter care. The areas where the leaves laid overwinter have become bare (see the picture). This is a spot that the Parks Department has worked hard trying to recover before and I suppose it is time work on it again. There are also other bare spots in the park where leaves had laid over winter (by the shelter - to the east) and for some unknown reason to the south of the swings. Could these areas please be addressed with grass seed and straw to make sure that park stays maintainable, that the structures don't end being compromised by erosion, and to make the park less of a mess after a rain? Also, the mulch covering the area underneath the playground structure may need refilled, in particular underneath the swings. Finally, is there a regular schedule under which these aspects of the park(s) get addressed? I am sure there are priorities and limited resources. We do not want to bother the department - if we knew that this maintenance would be done (based on a known schedule), then we would only have the thank yous to include instead of a thank you and a request. Thanks again.

Case Date:

4/20/2020

Seminary Park -- need I say more? I work at the Post Office right beside this park. I have worked at this location since the Post Office took over the old Ponderosa. Daily when I get to work at 7:15 until when I leave around 5:00 pm there is a steady stream of people who are using this park as a shanti (I know the parks dept. along with the police dept. know all about the issues and the police even know most of them by name). I first submitted my complaint in May 2013 and have all copies of my correspondence --along with Mick Renneisen's responses. There are regularly large groups of people going back & forth to Big Red Liquors and taking their booze back to the park to drink openly all day long. There is filthy language, shouting cuss words, fighting, loud boom-box music that we can hear inside the Post Office, stumbling through our parking lot, leaving trash everywhere in the park and through our parking lot, they hang a hammock, (twice this month), last week they hung a large green tarp (it was raining), and cars coming and going all day long. Those cars park in our parking lot (that entire lot is leased by the Post Office--it IS NOT for Seminary Park and they should not be using it) mainly at the northwest end. As these cars come to park people come from all through the park to come up to the window of the car and surround it doing, well, you can guess at that! Then, they go back to the park and the car leaves, only to come back later in the day with, again, people flocking to surround the car. I have come to work on a morning after one of their big parties and there is trash everywhere. You know this because you send your employees several times/week to clean up after them--sometimes more than once/day. Is the cost to clean up that park made public? A couple of years ago there was "supposedly" a camera installed on the pole at the northwest corner of the Post Office parking lot that you were to use to monitor this park. Obviously that is not happening. When I 1st submitted a complaint and Mick Renneison responded I had witnessed a man urinating on a tree--around 1:30 in the afternoon as I was stuck trying to get out of our lot on my lunch break on a busy day. You could not miss this man as he was stumbling while holding his privates to try to pee. Mick's response was that the only time anything could be done is if skin showed! There's no doubt I saw skin! Just last week it happened again and I witnessed it, and so have my co-workers and customers who visit our business. In May 2013 a question I asked was about loitering in public parks and Mick's response was that it's hard to determine if someone is loitering in a park, or just enjoying it. Please!! When they set up camp before I get to work at 7:15 and stay all day drinking--seems like loitering to me. What will it take to clean up this park? I work right beside this park and cannot enjoy a lunch outside there. What about the rights of the citizens who work within a couple of blocks of this park and wish to walk there for their lunch? I am having to call the police frequently on issues involving that park. With the current COVID-19 issue it does not appear that Blgtn. Parks and Rec is enforcing any of the social distancing rules--except to put up signs in the park! Obviously that isn't working. When I left work tonight I counted 5 cars and 2 trucks (and a tan Lincoln SUV that is there every day!) -- all parked at that northwest corner with one truck parked sideways--not in a parking spot. There were large crowds all over this park along with crowds surrounding the parked vehicles. There was about maybe 1 week early in the COVID-19 stay-at-home and social distancing rules that we observed police coming through the park to spread people out of their crowds. Now just signs that they ignore--or take up completely. This park is at a major north/south and east/west intersection. This is not a pretty picture for the mayor who wants to tout Bloomington as a beautiful city. This is not a beautiful sight and something we should be ashamed of when we have out-of-town visitors driving by that spot. It seems to me that that crowd of people KNOW that nothing will be done to them.

Case Date:

2/25/2020

There is a parasite going around at the Ferguson Dog park. I know of a dog that has contracted Giardia over 6 times. Someone needs to post signage around the park to let people know the dangers of not picking up after their dogs and more poop stations with more bags so we can make it easier to hold the pet parents accountable. I have tried to tell other dog owners to pick up after their pets but it has not succeeded. Please do something because pet parents like me can't take out dogs while there is an issue like this. A friend and I have even gone to the length of going throughout the park and cleaning up the entire thing. However it has not stayed that way. Please do something so not other dogs have to get sick and potentially die.

Case Date:

9/27/2021

Power outlet has faulted on light post just inside skatepark boundary next to limestone bench.

Case Date:

4/2/2019

Park Ridge East Park is VERY dark at night. And recently has had some night activity making the area feel unsafe. Several residents have mentioned it. Can we PLEASE get a solar LED post or two along the path or a pole light somewhere to add even just a bit of night light there. Thank you.

Case Date:

7/29/2020

Repeated complaints about Seminary Park, most recent #172269 submitted 4/20/20. This park is a very shameful example of how our city is handling (not handling) the homeless/drug population. The mayor should be ashamed of what message it sends that the issue continues with everyone looking the other way. This is a major north/south & east/west travel point. DAILY I have to deal with this as a working citizen of Bloomington at the Post Office. I know that you know the issues because I call the police at least once/week. Daily, besides the usual littering the park and Post Office parking lot (including mattresses, office desk chairs, tables, etc.) there is suspicious traffic in & out of that park via the Post Office parking lot. Within the past month we have had 5 different instances where someone backed up against the outside of our building to relieve him/herself of #2, then proceeded to smear it all up the wall. Today I witnessed a man walk behind the post office to a little white truck that is there daily with no plates. He handed that person something, then waved and walked away. Several people came from the park up to his window, went back in the park, then came back to the truck. Didn't appear to be just chit-chat. A transaction had been made for sure. And, what about a few Fridays ago when someone provided the park a nice big bbq complete with a huge grill that was brought in. Are grills and full-sized tents allowed to be brought into a city park?? They were there that day! This brought a huge crowd filling that park and creating a big scene. They trashed the park, the Post Office parking lot, and the area in front of the Post Office by the street. Both our custodian and your city employees are using a lot of resources & money to clean up after that population. Mayor Hamilton, you out to be ashamed of our city right now! This is not the Bloomington it used to be and you're looking the other way. I do not feel safe going to my job to make a decent living because I have been approached by these people and our customers have been approached. When election time rolls around again I will be paying very close attention to which candidate has plans to clean up our city.

Case Date:

12/16/2019

Hi! I am concerned that the fencing going up around the dog park areas of the Switchyard Park has not been done right. The soil has not been backfilled around the post bases, and the fencing and sod are being finished anyway, leaving extremely large gaps under the fencing--large enough for my 40-lb beagle mix to fit under, as well as many other dogs. Just wanted to make sure those in charge know. I know it is a very large-scale project with many details to keep up with, but it seems much easier and more cost-effective for it to be fixed sooner (while dirt and equipment are still on site) than later (when the park is completely finished and people start losing their dogs under the fence). Thank you for your attention on this matter! Otherwise I am so excited about the park and it is looking great!

Case Date:

7/11/2014

Please post no smoking signs at lower cascades playground.