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Parks department dealing with graffiti and homeless individuals at Kennedy Park

Thursday, July 13, 2023 at 6:19 AM

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The Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department is dealing with vandals and homeless people at Kennedy Park.

Two recent incidents of graffiti on playground equipment and within the 10-acre park have been handled, but the culprit is still at large. The parks department is asking neighboring residents for any information they may have of vandals in the park after hours when the incidents are occurring.

Parks department staff also have been dealing with homeless encampments along the Little Blue River near the shelter house at Kennedy Park, 309 Coffey Lane.

“What we can’t allow is for this to continue where we can’t be in our own parks and have people feel safe,” said parks department director Trisha Tackett at Wednesday’s parks board meeting.

Reports of as many as six people sleeping in the shelter house at Kennedy Park have been addressed. The homeless camps along the river were tagged and ordered to vacate the premises.

Tackett pointed out that discussions were had with all the homeless individuals about receiving help from city services. All declined any assistance and have moved on from Kennedy Park.

“Assistance has been offered to them but they don’t want it,” said Tackett. “The police chief has offered assistance to them and asked if they want help. I have told them there are resources but they don’t want that.”

 

 

All Shelbyville parks are open from dawn to dusk. Restroom doors at each facility are locked at the end of each day after being cleaned by parks department staff. The parks department will now keep shelter house lights on overnight at each city park to help police and parks department staff better patrol the areas.

The Meridian Park Family Aquatic Center, 101 McKinley St., will close for the season on Aug. 13 with its annual “Doggie Day” celebration – a fundraiser from 1 to 3 p.m. that benefits the Shelbyville/Shelby County Animal Shelter.

The aquatic center will host a “Dive-In Movie” night on July 21. Gates will open at 7:30 p.m. with no admission price for the movie, “The Bad Guys” that will begin once it is dark.

The aquatic center will remain open daily through July 30. The last weekend to visit the aquatic center is Aug. 5-6. The center will then be open again on Aug. 12 with “Doggie Day” to follow one day later.

The parks department will continue its “Music in the Park” series Friday with “Heartache Tonight” performing at Blue River Memorial Park located at 725 Lee Boulevard. Buck Rogers Jr. will open the free concert at 7 p.m. with Heartache Tonight, an Eagles tribute band, to follow.

The 25th Annual Shelby Shifters Car Show is Sunday at Kennedy Park. The awards portion of the event will commence at 3 p.m.

Tackett opened discussion with the parks board about how the department can be involved with activities occurring during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Shelby County is in the direct path of the eclipse and is expected to draw thousands of people into the region to monitor the event.

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