Bring Back Vera Cruz Park

Why did city Parks and Recreation really close Plaza de Vera Cruz to the public? The Party Line is it’s for our own good, all those nasty drug users. I don’t know of any other park they’ve privatized due to homeless and drug users. Plaza de Vera Cruz is so tiny it should have been easy to keep them out.

I believe the real reason has to do with all the proposed housing in the immediate area. To name only a few, there’s the southeast corner of Haley and Santa Barbara streets, the 400 block of Garden Street, and the old Staples building. These are going to be high rent places, and “they” want the neighborhood to look good to future residents.

I used Plaza de Vera Cruz daily. It’s the closest park to my apartment. It’s a beautiful grassy park with huge old trees for shade. My dog and I hit that park at least twice a day, and now we are only allowed when the Trapeze School is in session.

The school, by the way, is a drag. They yell — all the time! They play loud music. They bring their dogs and let them run in the park, even though it’s not an off-leash park.

I want my local public park back! Who rubber stamped their plan to privatize one of our oldest public parks?