NEW ALBANY —
plain white sign with red letters has been posted along an access road at Joe Kraft Park in New Albany alerting the public that violators will be prosecuted for trespassing.
It’s not a flashy announcement, but city officials said what’s at stake is of vital importance. There’s been frequent use of the park area — located off West Seventh Street — and the access road as a track for all-terrain vehicles such as four-wheelers, New Albany-Floyd County Parks Superintendent Roger Jeffers said.
“The concern is liability,” he said. “If something would happen then people would point fingers and we want to alleviate that.”
As a result, the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety approved installing five signs at the park warning of the violations. There’s a city and parks ordinance forbidding motorized vehicles from traveling on publicly owned grass surfaces, but officials said people are either unaware of the rule or just don’t care.
Joe Kraft Park is also a perfect area for ATV riders to blaze their own trails because it’s largely sheltered from view, New Albany Street Department Commissioner Mickey Thompson said.
“It’s wooded and isolated, and a pretty good ways from Cherry Street,” which is a road apparently some of the trespassers use to get their ATVs into the park, Thompson said.
New Albany Police Chief Sherri Knight said the department will be increasing patrols in the area of Joe Kraft Park.
Parks crews have been working to clean up the area lately by removing overgrown brush and vines from the basketball court, as well as painting over graffiti that was spread all over a shelter house. The basketball court at the park is actually owned by the adjacent Hampton Inn, but the parks department has an agreement with the hotel so that the public can use the space.
The road in question has also been cleared of debris lately by the park so that utility crews can access the property for maintenance and other work.
Floyd County
Related Photos
-
Officials are stepping up efforts to alert people that trespassing along the city-owned access road at Joe Kraft Park is illegal, as is using all-terrain vehicles at the park, which is located off West Seventh Street. Staff photo by Daniel Suddeath
Discussion
Park it!
ATV users warned of trespassing at Joe Kraft Park in New Albany
- Floyd County
-
-
THE 'V' WORD: SUB: Prosser Career Education Center moves away from stigma of ‘vocational’ school
- TARC sets Memorial Day and Kennedy Bridge route changes
-
Vietnam veteran receives medals 46 years after active duty ends
-
Pence talks bridges, jobs during Southern Indiana swing
“I think everyone senses with the recent bridges agreement, the potential for extraordinary growth,” said Mike Pence, a U.S. House member who is seeking to replace Gov. Mitch Daniels and retain the gubernatorial seat for the Republican Party.
-
Delaware woman dies in I-65 crash
-
Collingsworth Family to perform at Silver Heights Retreat Center in New Albany
The Collingsworth Family will be making a return trip to the Silver Heights Retreat and Camp Center in New Albany on Thursday, June 7.
-
Top Gun showing Saturday at the New Albany riverfront
In honor of Memorial Day, the city of New Albany will show the movie “Top Gun” on its new 40-foot screen at the Riverfront Amphitheater Saturday.
-
Organizers say lead contamination won’t hinder community garden in New Albany
Organizers said Wednesday they will proceed with a community garden despite lead contamination being discovered on the Culbertson Avenue site.
-
Gregg, Simpson tout bi-partisanship during New Albany stop
They strolled side by side down the stairs leading to the New Albany Riverfront Amphitheater Wednesday, and when they took the stage, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate John Gregg and his running mate, Vi Simpson, talked about how their differences can strengthen Indiana.
-
Gibson faces death penalty
“To seek the death penalty is a decision not to be taken lightly,” Henderson said. “But the nature of these crimes, what we have accused Mr. Gibson of here, if these two crimes are not cause for the death penalty, then I don’t know what could be considered.”
- More Floyd County Headlines
-
