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Lora Valante Submitting Comments Re: Nunziato OLRA Being Locked at 8 AM.
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Nunziato Field has been locked with chains and padlocks for over a month now, between the hours of 10pm and 8am. While it has been decided that DPW workers should unlock the park at 8am each morning, they have not been able to do so, especially on holidays and weekends, though frequently on weekdays too. I have arrived dozens of times at Nunziato only to find it locked.
It is my understanding, through Carlene Carlson (the city's liason to the Dog Owners Task Force), that the decision to lock the park off-hours occurred because of a single incident between a neighbor and a dog owner using the park after hours.
I have looked through the Somerville Police Incidents reports for the last 6 months, as reported by the Somerville Journal. I have found instances of assault, drug possession, vandalism and other crimes occurring at various parks and playgrounds around the city. Not one instance of crime was recorded at Nunziato.
My request is simple - treat Nunziato like every other park in the city. If these crimes aren't enough to require other parks being locked, why does a disagreement between neighbors require it? Or, if you really believe locking parks accomplishes good, lock all the parks, and staff the DPW accordingly so that they have the resources to lock and unlock every city park between 10pm and 8am.
Thank you,
Lora Valante