Home > Our Man Downtown > Archives > 2009 > April > 28 > Entry
Decision time for Cameron Park
Talk about a sense of civic ownership. I could hardly find a seat last night at the Waco Regional Tennis Center, so packed was the room with Cameron Park devotees. A hundred or so had turned out to learn about and discuss the “final plans” for the $6.9 million bond-funded renovation.
I’ll be writing about this later this week (we’ve been a bit short on space in the paper this week), but I was impressed with the passion people had for “their” park, whether they were mountain-bikers, walkers, dog lovers, birdwatchers, disc golfers or Cameron Park neighborhood residents.
The crowd was supportive of the planned improvements, but they wanted to get specific: Concrete or crushed granite on the trails? How many parking spaces were really necessary, and where was the water going to drain? How could safety be improved? Could the city add 9-1-1 callboxes along the trails?
The parks staff said they would explore those issues and appeared to be setting up time to meet with some of the citizens. And they said they would try to increase public involvement in the planning process, which was the main concern I heard.
It was a diverse crowd, ethnically and age-wise, but it struck me that the process has really galvanized the under-40 crowd, which is often characterized as civically apathetic.
Jon Pursley, one of the mountainbikers who has been seeking to “tweak” the plan, said Cameron Park was what brought and kept him here. He and other members of the Waco Bicycle Club have helped develop the 15-mile trail system in the rustic area of the park.
I can also say Cameron Park was the selling point for me moving here 11 years ago. Living in Georgetown, I had been accepted for a job at the Trib, but I wasn’t sure about Waco as a home. What I had seen downtown looked mostly seedy, and the Interstate area looked dismal. But when an editor drove me through Cameron Park on a clear autumn day, with the red oaks in full Technicolor and the vines shrouding the road, I was sold.
So many times since then, I have retreated to the limestone cliffs and shady hollows of Cameron Park to clear my mind and get away from the noise of life. I have skinned knees, bent mountainbike wheels and even been sucker-punched once by a stranger (long story I’ll tell another time). But I can’t imagine living in Waco without its green soul.
It didn’t take me long to learn about Cameron Park’s dangerous reputation. Though crime statistics show that reputation is largely undeserved, even some of the park’s champions Monday night complained of seedy activity in the park — sexual activity on the trail, shady characters hanging around in parked cars, vandalism of buildings, etc.
The reality is that a park of Cameron’s size in a city of Waco’s size will always be a challenge to police. By their nature, the secluded areas that attract tranquility-seekers like me also provide a haven for those with something to hide, such as drug-dealers, prostitutes, vandals and thieves. And it would take the equivalent of a small-town police force to effectively patrol two miles of rustic park 24 hours a day.
Some of the park lovers have suggested closing off parts of the park at night. One idea from the audience was a “citizens on patrol” program for the park — just give bikers and hikers a t-shirt, cellphone and a bit of training and encourage them to call in questionable activity. That’s an idea I’ve had before, and I’d be willing to serve my round.
Here’s another related idea: Cameron Park After Dark, with bonfires, organized campouts, concerts, moonlight hiking tours, anything to get regular folks out having a good time on selected evenings. Outnumber the shady people, and they’ll make themselves scarce.
I’d be interested to hear your ideas. How can we make the new, improved Cameron Park feel like a safer place?
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Comments
By OAK
April 29, 2009 7:47 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
The more people the park can attract will help move the seedy activity out, they come for the seclusion. I wish Waco could incorporate a dog park somewhere within Cameron Park. I know, Libility! Other cities have them , how do they do it? I’ll let you work on this-ha ha.
By Tristan
April 29, 2009 4:52 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I agree with OAK. The more people use Cameron Park, the safer it will be (I think it would also help to close off parts of the park at nightfall). The idea of creating a dog park is also a great idea. The last two cities in which I lived had dog parks, and they were wonderful.
By mikey
April 29, 2009 5:49 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I propose a dog park be established in East Waco. City officials have been dumping on the EW residents for years and years so a little dog poop will be no problem.
By Steve E
April 29, 2009 7:49 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Dog Park, Dog Park, Dog Park!!!!!!
By Dale
April 30, 2009 4:52 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Park use is strictly controlled by the Cameron family land grant to the City. The City can put a dog park inside Cameron Park as long as they do not charge an admission or use fee. The Zoo can charge admission because it is outside the boundary of the park. It replaced a minature golf course, Kiwanis Pool, and I think the area where the old minature steam locomotive train ran.
The City does close all park gates from sunset to about 6 a.m. The only road open at night is the main road through the park because of the adjacent residential area. Personally, I think they have locked it down too much. They want people to go out there but they have permanently blocked so much off, what is the point any more. I do commend the police for patrolling through the park during the day and night. They do the best they can. I do agree that the park could use more patrolling on the hike and bike trails though.
As J.B. stated, there is very little crime in the park. It receives a lot of unwarranted publicity when one crime does occasionally occur. “Seedy” is a very relative term. What may seem “seedy” to some is not to others. Crime such as robbery, rape, vandalism and assault are “seedy”. But to me, if a family or group or boyfriend/girlfriend are in the park and get into a big fight, that is “seedy” to me. They need to be arrested and thrown in jail for disturbing the peace. If people come driving through with their car stereos blasting away or bring a stereo out and play it so loud you can hear it a mile away, that is “seedy” to me. They need to be arrested for disturbing the peace.
Somebody mentioned the word “sex” at one point in another article. Well, there isn’t a park in the world where people don’t sometimes go to meet. If you are worried about “seedy” sex, then start telling all the married men to stay home with their wives. That will clear up the majority of it.
If you want nighttime activites, then they should occur at a designated spot and time in the park. The city could help as well by putting up some real lighting for the picnic areas like they have on University Parks Drive. Just like with the Suspension Bridge, too often their meager light bulbs burn out and are never replaced.
When I was a kid, our church would often go out to Proctor Springs (the Lion’s Mouth) for a hot dog party. We didn’t have to worry about what time we left or being a victim of crime. We just had a lot of fun. The city did not maintain the covered picnic area at Proctor Springs over the years. They just watched it collapse into a pile of lumber.
I know the reason why Cameron Park got such a bad, undeserved reputation, and it started about 40 years ago.
By Gary
April 30, 2009 10:45 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Cameron Park After Dark…… Fantastic Idea!!!!!!! Count me in.
By mikey
April 30, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I remember Kiwanis pool. It was one of the few places in Waco where it didnt matter what color you were, the water was blue. We had a blast!
By Wade
May 1, 2009 10:46 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I think the safety of the Park’s come a long way over the past 20 years. When I first started at Baylor back then, it was a questionable place to recreate during the daylight, with the exception of the clubhouse and pecan bottom areas, and even then if you were in a large group. In the early 90s the police took the Park’s safety more seriously, and it’s been great since. And only gotten better.
Even so, there are some questionable looking characters on occasion. The solution is easy. Increase patrols through the area. I don’t know how often they go through there, but ensure that a patrol car or 2 goes through there every hour, and that will make people with trouble on the brain think twice about doing anything.
You could also beef up the park rangers. I’ll say right away, those guys are awesome. Every ranger I’ve met at the Park has been terrific. They’re friendly, helpful, cautious, informative… I would say ask those guys what they need, and give it to them. Do they need more people? Hire them. Do they need more equipment? Give that to them. Do they need more authority? Arrange it.
That citizens on patrol Idea? Pretty good. One issue about safety at the park is the response time of the police. We called the police one time because kids were throwing rocks off one of the cliffs at the people on the river trail. I don’t know that the police even showed up at all. And if they did, it might not have mattered. Kids can scramble away quickly. And the park may take time for police to navigate. Maybe create a way for Rangers to deal with that kind of stuff?
By 3puttbogie
May 3, 2009 8:49 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I thought it already was a “DOG PARK”. Last time my family went there we saw no fewer than 8 pit-bulls (most off their leash) with their expected owners… countless other breeds. Rough looking crowd down there. We didn’t feel safe at all. I won’t be taking my family back to that area unless something changes.
By allison
May 4, 2009 12:40 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I also would love to see Cameron Park after dark- campout? Tons of fun- family fun- somewhere to bring the kids with lots of people so you could make friends, kids could run themselves ragged playing, and just having a good time.
By BJ
May 4, 2009 7:43 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I love the Park after Dark idea! It would be great to show movies out there after dark too. I would love to see canoe rentals, paddle boat rentals, and other water related activities down by the river in the park. I have two young boys who would love to be on the water and I would gladly pay a fee to rent a little boat to take them out.
By D
May 6, 2009 9:20 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I would love to spend more time at the park, but it just doesn’t seem safe for one person walking their dog. It’s so beautiful down there and I wish I could use this park and feel safe at the same time. I have to go to Woodway to feel safe as a single woman to walk my dog at a park. It’s just frustrating.
By JoAnn
May 7, 2009 6:17 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
I’m fairly new to Waco, having moved here last summer from Austin, and I love Cameron Park. I go there at lunchtime to walk by the river. I have been told by many long-time Waco friends that Cameron Park is too dangerous — I don’t see it!It’s a beautiful and peaceful place.