Editor: I have concerns about Douglas Park, the beautiful little park in Langley City.
I know people who come from Cloverdale to enjoy this particular park because of the lovely gardens, trees and walkways. Unfortunately, the park is changing.
This park is being taken over by young people who just want to ruin it. They start arriving midday to begin drinking and smoking pot. It’s not just on Friday and Saturday nights — it’s most nights of the week.
They carry their liquor bottles out in then open, like trophies, not caring who notices because they know they can get away with it.
They also carry large Coke bottles which they have already mixed with liquor, thinking no one will bother them. I have personally seen them pour liquor into a pop bottle to try to hide the liquor — but most just proudly display their liquor bottles.
I use the park numerous times a day with my dogs. I am fed up with the lack of police presence or some other deterrent to these young people. There are often one or two older men with these teens. They probably went to the liquor store for them. I’m sure some of the teens I’ve seen drinking are no more than 16.
The so-called security in Douglas Park is a complete joke. They do nothing to deter what is going on, even when you bring something to their attention.
Whatever they are paid could be surely used for some better purpose, as they serve none.
These teens smash glass bottles when they are empty. It is unsafe for young children to play on the grass and run around with that glass there.
These people also use the gardens, particularly the round garden in the centre of the park, as a toilet. This is beyond disgusting. I feel sorry for the women and men who work in these gardens to keep them beautiful.
Now that the weather is getting better, we will have people camping overnight in the park all summer long, and leaving garbage in their wake.
Why is nothing being done to preserve this special place in Langley? The mess this year is far worse than last year. The city is spending a lot of money to improve its image, but I wonder if they should bother, when they let the parks be taken over and run down by young people.
You can’t approach these people without fear for yourself and your dog. Recently, a couple was harassed and assaulted because the man dared to make a comment to young men who were defecating almost right in front of them.
Police do nothing to deter this type of behaviour. They have very little presence in the park. Instead, they sit in their cars behind the community police station. Why don’t they sit in their cars on Park Avenue and watch what’s going on in the park?
It might help send a few of these young people on their way, but I know some will simply defy the police and any authority figure.
I recently noticed a girl named Crystal P. felt it was appropriate to sign her name on one of the benches donated and paid for by a family, on behalf of their deceased loved one. This is very wrong.
Let’s stop the destruction of this beautiful park before it’s too late, and this park becomes another slum area.
Let’s see some real action before the teens destroy it.
D. Forster,
Langley