2 more city parks
are closed at night

Star-Bulletin staff

Visitors to Old Stadium Park will notice a new sign that greet them as they enter the park.

It says that the facility is closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The same sign marks the entrance to Ala Wai Neighborhood Park just down the street.

The two area parks are the latest to be closed off to the public at night.

The effort is being made to stem a recent increase in incidents of vandalism, noise disturbances and property damage, the city Department of Parks and Recreation announced.

"The concerns were about noise and loitering and drinking at night," said Albert Furuto, a member of the neighborhood board representing the McCully-Moiliili area.

"The basic concern is about the late-night noise and disturbance."

The restricted hours are posted on signs at park entrances, and trespassers found by police officers will be directed to leave.

"I think the reason they requested the closures was more for the ability for the police to come there and be able to ask these people to leave," Furuto said.

The City Council in 1990 approved the night closure of parks.

To date the department has designated 101 of 122 city parks to be closed at night.

Restricted hours have helped reduce damage, end disturbances and curtail illegal activities in those areas, the parks department said.

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City & County of Honolulu