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Alcohol ban considered at Woodlands parks
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| Connor McMullen, five, digs into the sand at Northshore Park on a recent afternoon. Employing his own technique, the "Twister," McMullen was doing his best to find a water well. "I wouldn't find any park in this area unsafe," Michelle McMullen, Connor's mother, said about the recent stabbing at Sawmill Park. "I assume it was an (gang) and not a lurker at the park." |
By T.L. HAMILTON
A recent stabbing in a Woodlands park may result in an alcohol ban at community parks in the master-planned community.
The Woodlands Community Association will discuss alcohol in its parks and general park safety at its Aug. 13 meeting.
After a stabbing occurred April 13 in Sawmill Park, located at 2200 Millpark Drive, residents expressed their concerns at the Grogan’s Mill Village Association meeting in May.
“The concerns were also related to people who use the park on a regular basis and probably don’t even live here,” said Bruce Cunningham, village association president. “They have been drinking, and people in the community are concerned about it.”
It is not known whether alcohol was a factor in the stabbing incident, Chris Nunes, director of Parks and Recreation, said.
“To the best of my knowledge, we have not had an alcohol-related incident at any of our parks. But at (the residents’) request, we’re studying our logs and interactions with rangers. We’re looking into it.”
Tom Campbell, vice president of the WCA, said he thinks banning alcohol in Woodlands parks would be a positive move.
“It’s not a bad suggestion,” Campbell said. “It seems like some people out there are causing rowdiness and here we have a park we’re encouraging children to play in and we’re having apparently some drinking parties going on.”
Campbell said even though the concern was about Sawmill Park specifically, it would make more sense to ban alcohol at all parks, including those in The Woodlands Association’s territory.
“If you do it in one park, you have to do it in them all,” he said. “I assume that would involve all of them in the WCA; and it would be nice if our sister organization (TWA) would do the same.”
Another option on the table would be to allow alcohol only for park permit-holding residents who have arranged to have a uniformed police officer present, Campbell said.
When asked about the free concerts at Northshore Park, at which residents are able to bring a bottle of wine with a picnic, Campbell said perhaps those events could be allowed with an officer present.
“I think it’s a sad thing that our parks have been such a rich resource for the families and now we have this problem that seems like it’s messing it up,” he said.
“So I think it’s a good thing to talk about. We need to decide what to do because you need the children to be safe there.”
Nunes said the park rules are enforced by park rangers, employed by the Community Associations of The Woodlands.
The rangers visit Sawmill Park six times per week at varying times of the day, he said.
As a result of resident concerns, Nunes said the community associations have decided to add a park rules sign to a prominent location in the park between the pavilion and the playground equipment (the existing sign is in the parking lot).
They also replaced a sign that had been removed by an unknown party, which said permit-holders have the ability to reserve park facilities.
Cunningham said the park rangers and Sheriff’s Office said they also would start patrolling the park on Sunday nights, when residents have reported the most drinking.
“We’re trying to address these problems one by one,” Nunes said.
The Woodlands Community Association will discuss alcohol in its parks and general park safety at its Aug. 13 meeting.
After a stabbing occurred April 13 in Sawmill Park, located at 2200 Millpark Drive, residents expressed their concerns at the Grogan’s Mill Village Association meeting in May.
“The concerns were also related to people who use the park on a regular basis and probably don’t even live here,” said Bruce Cunningham, village association president. “They have been drinking, and people in the community are concerned about it.”
It is not known whether alcohol was a factor in the stabbing incident, Chris Nunes, director of Parks and Recreation, said.
“To the best of my knowledge, we have not had an alcohol-related incident at any of our parks. But at (the residents’) request, we’re studying our logs and interactions with rangers. We’re looking into it.”
Tom Campbell, vice president of the WCA, said he thinks banning alcohol in Woodlands parks would be a positive move.
“It’s not a bad suggestion,” Campbell said. “It seems like some people out there are causing rowdiness and here we have a park we’re encouraging children to play in and we’re having apparently some drinking parties going on.”
Campbell said even though the concern was about Sawmill Park specifically, it would make more sense to ban alcohol at all parks, including those in The Woodlands Association’s territory.
“If you do it in one park, you have to do it in them all,” he said. “I assume that would involve all of them in the WCA; and it would be nice if our sister organization (TWA) would do the same.”
Another option on the table would be to allow alcohol only for park permit-holding residents who have arranged to have a uniformed police officer present, Campbell said.
When asked about the free concerts at Northshore Park, at which residents are able to bring a bottle of wine with a picnic, Campbell said perhaps those events could be allowed with an officer present.
“I think it’s a sad thing that our parks have been such a rich resource for the families and now we have this problem that seems like it’s messing it up,” he said.
“So I think it’s a good thing to talk about. We need to decide what to do because you need the children to be safe there.”
Nunes said the park rules are enforced by park rangers, employed by the Community Associations of The Woodlands.
The rangers visit Sawmill Park six times per week at varying times of the day, he said.
As a result of resident concerns, Nunes said the community associations have decided to add a park rules sign to a prominent location in the park between the pavilion and the playground equipment (the existing sign is in the parking lot).
They also replaced a sign that had been removed by an unknown party, which said permit-holders have the ability to reserve park facilities.
Cunningham said the park rangers and Sheriff’s Office said they also would start patrolling the park on Sunday nights, when residents have reported the most drinking.
“We’re trying to address these problems one by one,” Nunes said.
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