Colorado Springs authorities rope off pavilion at second downtown-area park due to homeless
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- For the second time in four months -- because of apparent issues related to the homeless -- authorities have limited access to a picnic shelter at a park near downtown Colorado Springs.
A witness told KRDO Wednesday that police and city workers installed cable barriers and signs around the pavilion at Antlers Park about two weeks ago. The park sits behind the Antlers hotel on Sierra Madre Street, on the western edge of downtown.
The barriers don't completely prevent entrance into the shelter, in the same manner as fencing installed in August at two pavilions in Dorchester Park just south of downtown.
But authorities hope the cables, and the signs -- which ban trespassing and inform people that the shelter can be used only by acquiring a permit -- will be enough to keep people from loitering and sleeping there at night.
KRDO is awaiting a response from city officials about the situation.
According to a homeless man who frequents the area, police arrived to force a dozen homeless people to leave, and ticketed some who were suspected of violating ordinances against loitering or public camping.
Some of the homeless found shelter a block down the street, under a bridge on Colorado Avenue, despite posted police signs prohibiting loitering.
On Wednesday, city workers cleaned up the area and police ordered a handful of homeless people to leave.
"We asked them to leave yesterday and posted notices to that effect," an officer said. "When the cleanup crew arrived today, the homeless people gave them some trouble so we had to keep order and move them along."
The officer, a member of the police's Homeless Outreach Team, said he didn't know enough about the Antlers Park pavilion to address it.
"It's something we've asked for, for several years," he said. "We're glad to see it happen."
A member of one city cleanup crew said Antlers Park has had issues similar to Dorchester Park for years -- homeless people loitering and sleeping there, large amounts of trash left behind and citizens reluctant to visit the park because of the homeless population.
"In the summer, we'd come here every day because there was so much trash," the crew member said. "Something had to be done."
The situation has raised concerns about the homeless congregating near a local preschool and businesses at the Old Depot Square.
"I have sympathy for the homeless," a business owner said. "But recently there was an assault by a homeless person on another homeless person. I'm hoping a solution can be found before this becomes more of a problem."
