By a unanimous vote, the City Commission ruled to close Smothers Park from 12:30 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. during Tuesday’s meeting citing vandalism and illegal activity happening at the park.
Specifically, a portion of the ordinance reads “there has been an increase in illegal activity occurring at night in Smothers Park which has caused damage to the park facilities and resulted in the need for greater police presence in the park.”
This ordinance makes Legion and English the only parks open to the public all day. Legion Park’s basketball and street soccer courts are open 24 hours, while English Park’s accessible shoreline and launching ramp are also open around the clock.
City Manager Nate Pagan said Smothers has been a 24-hour park since it first opened.
“(Anyone is currently) entitled to be at the park 24 hours because it’s technically open, and so this will give us the opportunity to better maintain and reduce vandalism and damage to the facility,” Pagan said at the first meeting earlier this month.
While the park will now close at 12:30 a.m., Pagan said that per request, the park could remain open for events. For example, should a 24-hour fundraiser or an event with an approved permit be hosted there, the City could be willing to accommodate the hours.
A second portion of the ordinance broadens the training requirements needed to serve alcoholic beverages on park property. Pagan noted that the state no longer offers TIPS training — which was the baseline training outlined in the ordinance.
“The ordinance has been changed to more general language, stating that any appropriate training is dictated by the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control,” he said.
