Based on the damage done to White Park recently (DP-01-19-21), where unauthorized mountain bike trails and obstacles were created, we think some local residents missed out on a very important childhood lesson, so we’d like to share it with you all now:
If it doesn’t belong to you, then don’t mess with it.
Pretty simple. It applies to stealing, destroying or defacing property, borrowing without permission but with intent to return, moving or removing items from public or private land, etc.
White Park is land available for public use, yes, but it is owned by the city and maintained by BOPARC. As members of the public, we have permission from these entities to ride our bikes or take walks along the trails. We do not have the right — nor permission — to cut down trees or build mounds of dirt for jumps. Plus, it’s actually illegal for individuals to make unauthorized changes to the park, according to City Code Section 941.02.
Beyond the legal aspect, the matter comes down to having respect for the community. White Park is a shared space, and when individuals destroy plantlife and alter the terrain, they are ruining the area for everyone who visits. If the community feels there’s a need for more exciting bike trails through the park, then that needs to be something brought to BOPARC and decided upon by the city and the community, not by rogue persons acting selfishly.
