Locals are alarmed at youngsters using the Owairaka park for inter-gang fighting and vandalism, writes Renee Jones.
Youth gangs could be served with trespass notices to keep them out of public parks.
The gangs are using local parks as headquarters for inter-gang fighting, tagging, vandalism and drug and alcohol abuse.
The situation has
become so bad at Murray Halberg Park in Owairaka that police have been requested to issue trespass notices to anyone caught lingering suspiciously at the site.
The park has two sportsfields used for junior rugby games on Saturday mornings and also caters for rugby league and touch football matches. Although it is mainly used by locals as an accessway, it has an outdoor basketball hoop and modern playground.
Lindsey Rea, Eden/Albert Community Board chairwoman, says the situation is a concern. ``It's a problem in just about every park in the city, they are public spaces and certain members of the public gather there.''
She says one of the difficulties is Murray Halberg Park is not clearly visible from the road.
``It's enclosed, it doesn't have a lot of surveillance from the street. It's a perennial problem in parks, when you get a collection of kids in one place ... in the evening and the next thing you know you have graffiti and vandalism.''
She says Nicolson Park in Mt Eden is also a problem spot for similar behaviour and trespass notices could soon be dished out there as well.
The Aucklander was unable to speak to police before going to press.
