- 11/17/2009 - Point Defiance Park Landscape Enhancements
- 10/30/2009 - Neighbors help offset insurance deductible for Alling Park playground replacement
- 10/30/2009 - Our commitment to accessibility and inclusion
- 10/30/2009 - Wake up for Wapato on Nov. 7
- 10/30/2009 - Tacoma’s parks now smoke-free
- 10/1/2009 - Comcast On Demand features Metro Parks Tacoma
- 9/30/2009 - Upright mobility devices to be added to Zoo & Trek rental services
- 9/30/2009 - Point Defiance bowl gets a fresh face
- 9/30/2009 - Replacement of Alling Park play equipment nearly complete
- 9/30/2009 - Employee volunteers perform important work, generate financial match from Comcast
4th of July aftermath reduced by Tacoma Police and Tribal Police collaboration
Jul 30, 2009
When Parks staff report for duty at Portland Avenue Park the morning of July 5, they typically find a wake of fireworks debris and other litter that fill multiple dumpsters and require hours of clean up. In past years, the mess has been so great that park crews would still be cleaning up as children arrived for the summer playground program.
The cleanup work was really taxing on the system, pulling crews away from the daily work expected in other parks. But more importantly, the visual message that it sent to kids arriving to use the playground was that it’s okay to illegally shoot fireworks and use their park as a dumping ground for waste.
“We are really grateful to both the Puyallup Tribe and the Tacoma Police Department for their emphasis on patrolling the area leading up to and through the holiday to make sure it was safe by making sure people knew they faced fines if they set off fireworks,” said Ron Peart, South/East Region Supervisor. The Tribe also provided labor to assist Park crews with clean up. Due to enforcement efforts on the 4th, the team was able to have the park in tiptop shape prior to the children’s arrival for summer playground activities.
“This was a really successful collaboration, Peart said. Metro Parks, the City of Tacoma and the Tribe share a mutual interest in keeping our parks safe and clean, and by working together that was really evident at Portland Avenue last month.”
4th of July 2007:
4th of July 2008:
4th of July 2009:
4th of July 2009: