Einstein Park needs city attention

In a City Beat article on Oct. 18, Parks Director Manuel Mollinedo said “Fresno’s efforts to improve its parks system are ‘very gratifying’.” He obviously is unaware of the mismanagement (to discourage the homeless) of the open space area at the southern section of Einstein Park, at Dakota and Millbrook avenues.

It was about August that the sprinklers were removed, so the trees and turf could not be watered. Fencing around the ball diamonds was removed “to open up the area.” The gate from the parking lot to the open area is flimsy, and repairs so inadequate, that the doing-doughnuts vandals have left nothing but bare ground, puncture vines and other weeds in one area. The weeds have evidently been carried in on a mower infested with weed seed. (Weedy areas mowed, and mower not cleaned of debris before moving to mow weed-free turf.)

The parking lot has two graffiti-covered dumpsters of Mid Valley Disposal. (Mayor Ashley Swearengin’s outsourcing). A call to Fresno’s One Stop Center advises that Fresno’s graffiti team cannot paint out the mess because the dumpsters are no longer city property.

Since Einstein Park is in Council Member Clint Olivier’s district, no doubt his concerns about the park have not been favorable.

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 6:33 AM with the headline "Einstein Park needs city attention."