When we think of “Community,” each of us has a slightly different picture come to mind. For some it is their immediate neighborhood or their group of friend and co-workers. For others it might be their town or social circle. It is a somewhat elusive noun because it can be viewed in so many different ways. When we see “May’s Pond Community,” we suddenly are able to narrow or broaden our focus to some pretty easily defined boundaries. At least that is what I thought until just three short months ago.
The May’s Pond Community really isn’t as easily defined as one would think. Within that area are houses that fall within a homeowner association, houses that don’t, and houses that aren’t houses at all but are “detached condos.” So, the greater body that we call our local May’s Pond Community is really somewhat like our own body in that it’s made up of a whole lot of parts that we don’t think much about unless it is injured and starts to hurt. Then, the pain spreads and suddenly every other part is acutely aware and we know it is time to stop and think and take action to heal the hurt part and stop the pain.
It’s been that way for decades at the May’s Pond Park. That park has been known far and wide as “the drug hang out” or “drug park.” Years ago families stopped enjoying the park for the most part, and the less families went in to play there the more teenagers made it their own. The underage drinking and pot smoking grew, some neighbors became a little concerned, most turned a blind eye. From what we are told, something similar happened at Woodside Elementary School a few years back. Kids started selling and using pot and pushing the envelope. Parents there decided they were not going to tolerate that and set about making the school safe once again, and really taking a stand.
When school let out for the summer this year things went from bad to worse in the park. We started getting reports of animals being killed, squirrels (over a dozen counted so far) beheaded and hung from trees or thrown in neighbors’ yards, rabbits killed and beheaded, and finally another Canadian Goose. She had migrated here every year to have her young and then return north, but this year they shot her, cut off her head, and threw her body in the middle of Brook Blvd. Her mate and goslings fled the same day and have not been seen since.
At that point the neighborhood rallied, Sgt. O’Neill came out from the Sheriff’s office and spoke with us about what must be done to clean up the park, The Enterprise started running stories about the park and challenges we faced in stopping the crime and making the park safe once again. The Animal Defense Council in Tucson, Arizona called and offered $500 in reward money and some local homeowners offered to collect another $500 to match it.
Now, the “Greater Community” has rallied to action! Work teams of neighbors and organizations have started coming out to help us clear the overgrowth from the park so that the drug dealers and animal killers, and other predators can not lurk and do their business unseen any longer. The Journey Church, many of whose members had recently moved here from Houston all turned out to help even as Ike raged against their families back home. Starbucks is sending a group of employees to help, North Creek Presbyterian Church is organizing a large group of their membership to come help. Girl Scouts and Brownies, Eagle Scouts, High Schoolers who need to do “Community Service” (There’s that word again!) are turning out to help. Home Depot is providing us with materials, Sun Belt Rentals has offered the use of their equipment. The Journal has come out to write an article and take photos of the work being done.
Two weeks ago we had a report of a woman being molested late one night in the park by the side entrance on Palomino. We are now determined to cut away all the overgrowth there as quickly as possible and open that area up.
Foot patrols of concerned neighbors now walk through the park, others are now purposely walking their dogs through the park rather than around the block, neighbors from across 180th are coming to take their walks through the park, and the Sheriff’s officers are patrolling much more frequently down our streets. When the overgrowth is removed they will have a line-of-sight from their vehicle floodlights across the park areas most used by drug dealers, which means that they won’t be able to do their deals there any longer without great risk.
Anyone who would like to help gathers around 10:00 on Saturday mornings and starts helping. People are making friends, getting to know one another, and feeling great about what they are doing! The community’s taking a stand at the park is shaking up those who have thought of it as their own personal office for far too long! The truly great thing about what we are seeing is that it’s NOT primarily our little “community” that is making such a huge difference. It is people coming from far and wide, some who never heard of May’s Pond before, who are choosing to be part of our community, if just for a little while, in order to make it better for us. We owe that greater “Neighbor-Helping-Neighbor Because It’s The Right Thing To Do” Community a huge debt of gratitude!
Categories: General News
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