Enjoy Hays' many parks safely
For a community of about 20,000 population, we are very fortunate to have the many wonderful parks available for our enjoyment. Our city parks department maintains 25 different areas for a wide variety of outdoor activities and enjoyment including golf, baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, skateboard, rollerblading, disc golf, horseshoes, children's playgrounds, picnics and swimming.
The many different parks include:
The parks are tremendous places to get out and enjoy the fresh air and warm weather. However, when enjoying these areas we have a responsibility to help keep them nice for everyone.
If you take your dog to the park, you are required by ordinance to pick up any solid feces your pet decides to deposit. If you picnic, please collect all the trash and clean up after yourself.
Vehicles are not permitted to leave the road or designated parking areas. The speed limit in all parks is 15 mph. Please drive carefully with the high possibility of children playing.
For safety, the parks do not allow glass bottles. Alcohol is allowed to be consumed in the parks, but you are asked to use canned beverages. The parks all have a 1 a.m. curfew and midnight for consumption of alcohol.
If you consume alcohol, please do so responsibly and have a designated driver to get you home safe. If you are in the parks after 10 p.m., just like anywhere else in Hays, limit your noise level in consideration of others.
While you are enjoying any one of the many parks, please be aware of others in the area. If you see suspicious activity or vandalism occur, please call 911 immediately for police response.
While most folks respect and help keep our parks nice, there are some that give no consideration of others and willfully do damage to the areas. A simple call can help us keep our parks nice and minimize criminal damage by some.
We are fortunate to have so many nice parks in our fair city. By following common sense and courtesy, we help keep the parks nice for everyone.
Philip Hartsfield is assistant chief of the Hays Police Department.
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