Members of the Union Board of Aldermen gave preliminary approval to extending park hours for tennis and sand volleyball.
The courts presently have lights that may be turned on and off by the general public. However, for the reason that parks shut a half hour after nightfall, the lights are technically not supposed for use until it’s a part of a city-sanctioned occasion.
“That form of creates an issue, the place we’re working a facility the place they’ll flip the lights on and off however we inform them they’ll’t be there,” Parks Director Chad Pohlmann mentioned on the Monday, Dec. 21, parks, buildings, improvement and public service committee assembly. “We have to both take away the power to show these lights on and off or make some modifications to our ordinances, our insurance policies.”
The committee, made up of aldermen, really helpful altering town’s park hours ordinance to permit an exception for the tennis and sand volleyball courts. If accepted by the total board, the courts shall be allowed to remain open till 10 p.m.
The choice comes after a advice from the park advisory board to permit the tennis and sand volleyball courts to stay open till 10 p.m. every night time. Two of the 4 tennis courts even have traces permitting them for use for pickleball.
The tennis courts make the most of a system to show the lights on and off utilizing inexperienced and crimson buttons. The volleyball court docket system is extra difficult, however the metropolis plans to enhance that earlier than the spring.
Police Chief Andrew Parker was requested if the division has had any complaints about folks utilizing the courts after darkish.
“It’s been some time since I’ve heard of points with the lights being left on and no one down there utilizing the ability,” he mentioned. “It’s been a pair years since I’ve heard a couple of name to the police station concerning the lights being on.”
Pohlmann mentioned he has obtained calls from cops who’ve needed to inform folks to depart the courts as a result of they had been there after hours.
“It’s the cops following the legislation,” he mentioned. “It actually places the cops in a clumsy state of affairs the place they’ve to inform folks to depart, as a result of they’re being advised to inform folks to depart the parks after darkish.”
The sand volleyball courts have been common with East Central Faculty college students within the night. Pohlmann mentioned additionally they are common with a bunch of people that look like of their mid-20s.
“A variety of instances I’ll stroll previous there at night time, they usually appear to be they’re having a good time, and it seems to be like what they need to be doing is utilizing the volleyball courts,” he mentioned.
