Tell The 70th Precinct That No Parade Grounds Access After Sunset Is Unsafe: Neighbor
Neighbor Olgierd Bilanow, who recently launched a petition to make it legal for pedestrians and bicyclists to use the Parade Grounds past sunset, is encouraging neighbors to let the police know what not having access to the area at night means for their safety.
After residents reported being issued tickets for walking and biking through the Parade Grounds at night earlier this fall, Olgierd and other neighbors have been dismayed that city officials will not budge on what hours individuals are permitted to use the space, which many have noted feels far safer and easier to traverse while walking home at night from, for example, the F train than the alternative – a darker, more desolate stretch of Coney Island Avenue.
Currently, it is illegal for people to use the Parade Grounds after sunset – something which the 70th Precinct said they are enforcing because of crime in the area.
“Unfortunately, there’s been some recent crime in that area – there’s been an increase in crime in that area,” Deputy Inspector Richard DiBlasio, commanding officer of the 70th Precinct, said at September’s 70th Precinct meeting. “We don’t want to prevent anyone from using our park, but when it gets dark in that park there are different rules because it’s not safe.”
But neighbors have argued that, in addition to the Parade Grounds path feeling safer than Coney Island Avenue, in part because it goes directly by an NYPD parking lot, additional foot traffic in the area could help to deter crime.
Olgierd told us that following the Prospect Park Alliance’s meeting with the 70th Precinct earlier this month, the alliance told the neighbor that, “the precinct feels strongly that the Parade Ground should continue to be closed at sunset, and we fully support NYPD in their efforts to ensure the public’s safety. ”
“If you have a chance, please take a moment to tweet @NYPD70Pct and let Deputy Inspector DiBlasio know how this decision impacts your safety,” Olgierd wrote.
There is a constant stream of people walking and biking along the Parade Grounds Bike Path (the roadway is also used as an NYPD parking lot). Many are coming and going to Prospect Park while others are walking home from the F train. For all these people walking through the Parade Ground path is the easiest, safest and most pleasant way to go between home and Park Circle.
Recently neighbors have been summonsed by the 70th Precinct for crossing through the Park after dusk. After complaints were raised about the tickets despite no clear signs showing such a rule the Prospect Parks Alliance posted several new signs declaring that the path closes at dusk. The alternative is to walk along a desolate stretch of Coney island Avenue which leads to a dangerous intersection where it meets Caton Avenue.
Prospect Park is the prime destination for the tens of thousands of people living south of the park and is open until 1 AM. Other than the Bike Path, the Parade Grounds is made up of ball fields and a large playground. On account of the expensive artificial surface on the fields and the general rule in NYC playgrounds it makes sense that the majority of the Parade Grounds should close at dusk. This does not mean that creative thinking could not come up with a way to keep the Bike Path open while allowing the rest of the Parade Grounds to close at dusk.
Almost half of the people using the Bike Path are in fact riding a bicycle. The official name is fitting in describing the way the path is used, but not it’s legal designation. Besides the rules about closing at dusk, there is nothing stopping the 70th Precinct from ticketing bicyclists for biking on a pedestrian path or for riding on the sidewalk leading to the path inside the Parade Grounds. Being as wide as a city street, there is no reason why the Parade Grounds Bike path cannot safely and legally support both pedestrians and bicyclists.
After neighbors began reporting an increased number of tickets being issued at the Parade Grounds, have you continued to use it at night? If so, have you been ticketed? If you’ve used Coney Island Avenue instead, what has that meant for you?