An image of the sign to Harvey Park in Galt, California. Some residents are upset city officials put up a fence around the baseball field at the park. Photo by Lisa Fowler

GALT, CA (MPG) – The city’s Harvey Park now has a fence around most of it, which has some upset.

“This is a public park,” said 42-year Galt resident Tim DaPrato. “It’s been taken away from the people.”

“The community is being disenfranchised,” said Maria DaPrato.

No public input was sought on the decision, said Armando Solis, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Solis is retiring in December as a city worker following more than 30 years of service.  

“It was the decision that was made from management down,” Solis told The Galt Herald. “The Parks and Rec Commission was made aware, and I believe either Amie (Mendes) or Chris (Erias) made the council aware of the situation.”

Mendes is the assistant city manager and Erias is listed on the city’s website as the interim city manager.

A handful of residents expressed concerns to Solis about the fence, he said.

“When I explained it to everybody, they seemed to understand what the reasonings were,” he added.

Everyone but two men were understanding, Solis said.

Galt Youth Baseball is the primary user of the park, Solis said. The president of Galt Youth Baseball called Solis, Solis said, and expressed concerns about drug usage, vandalism, homeless people sleeping in the dugouts and drug paraphernalia on the field.

Although marijuana is legal, “you're still having under 12-year-old kids playing baseball while kids are smoking marijuana in the park,” he said.

The fence encloses the baseball field and at least one park bench. The city is planning to install new benches next to the playground, Solis said.

Galt Youth Baseball also complained about people using bikes and e-bikes on the field, damaging it, he said. Dog owners were using the field and failing to pick up after their pooch, he added.

DaPrato asked why the park is locked during the day instead of just at night.

“We are evaluating that now,” Solis said.

That will be part of the city’s parks and master plan, which might go before the City Council for approval in November or December, he said.

Other parks in the city have baseball fields, Solis said, “so it's not like we fence this (Harvey Park) off and there's no other alternative,” he said.