Amarillo Officials Address Growing Park Complaints

It's been a hot-button topic in Amarillo for some time now: the parks, pools, and more. Over the years, the complaints about so many different things regarding the parks and other outdoor facilities have mounted.

These haven't gone unnoticed by the city. They hear every word that has been said, written, or otherwise. I know it seems like they've been ignoring it, but they haven't been. Remember when they said they were going to shut down two of our pools? They heard the complaints and decided to take another look at them and see if fixing them was viable.

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City Leaders Seek Answers

The mounting complaints and concerns about the state of our parks and other outdoor facilities had city leaders reach out to the City of Amarillo Parks & Recreation Department in search of some answers amidst the growing concern amongst residents. Good news? They were able to get some answers, along with things they were exploring.

It was around five years ago that they identified a need for about $90 million for needed improvements. The city has spent approximately $36 million over the last five years trying to meet those needs, so progress IS being made, even if it's slow.

Bathrooms, Vandalism, & Other Things

So many things have been said about the bathrooms being closed at the parks. Memes have been generated, and general complaining has taken place. There is a reason those bathrooms are closed most of the time...vandalism. It's a big problem at the parks, and the restrooms were a main source of that. Southeast Pool was recently vandalized as well.

Someone went into Thompson Park and started cutting up the metal bleachers for scrap metal, while videos have surfaced of cars racing around John Stiff Park and doing donuts, and there are many barren spots where only dirt remains after weed killer has been applied. It's not just one thing or one park; there are many things that have gotten us to where we are.

Various Studies To Improve Things

Amarillo PARD has been doing numerous different assessments and studies to work on fixing some issues, as well as identifying other issues. Some of these things are to improve facilities, while other studies are geared towards what to do with other places, such as the property the city bought in Eastridge.

One of the things that appear to be heavily looked at are wrapped around the sports complexes in the city. A study on an athletic sports complex, as well as a study on artificial turf, and estimates for what that could cost. That could also be something being looked at outside the sports complexes in the city.

They are making great strides to make the parks and facilities better, but like anything good, it takes time. If we're patient, we will begin to see significant changes and have some of the most beautiful parks around.