Bloomington’s parks department approved a contract to continue overnight security in city parks Tuesday.
The board of park commissioners approved the $278,821 contract with Marshall Security and Investigations (MSI) to provide two unarmed security officers to patrol Switchyard Park between 6:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. Officers will work February 1- December 31 and make $23 per hour.
Additionally, one officer will patrol the B-Line Trail and other “core” city parks from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. March 14 - Nov. 21. These parks include Seminary Park, Building Trades Park, RCA Park, Miller Showers Park, Crestmont Park, Butler Park, Peoples Park, and Waldron, Hill, and Buskirk Park.
MSI began monitoring parks to prevent vandalism and overnight camping in July 2021. Upon observation, officers report incidents to the Bloomington Police Department.
Switchyard Park general manager Hsiung Marler said members of the public, specifically homeless people, were not initially used to this overnight security presence.
“The longer we had the security presence, the more they understood,” he said. “And so that’s one reason I think we saw a decrease in those type of things. Correspondently, there was a decrease in late night trespassing.”
While seasonal park use is a contributing factor, reported incidents in parks have dropped since last summer:
July- 126
August- 99
September- 38
October- 28
November- 5
The board originally contracted MSI in June 2021 for two officers to roam Switchyard Park overnight from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. At this time, officers made $16.50 per hour.
In July, the board voted to expand the contract to include an additional officer for the B-Line trail and other parks from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. At this time, officers were approved to make $18.75 per hour.
Griffy Lake Loop Trail
The board also approved a contract with Spectrum Trail Design to update the Griffy Lake master plan and build a pilot bridge on the loop trail. The contract is worth $16,000 and paid from the parks department's 2018 Bicentennial Bond.
Beginning in February, Spectrum will evaluate the trail network and recommend reroutes and improvements. In August, Spectrum will begin constructing a pilot trail crossing over a steep ravine on the south side of the lake near the dam.
“That will give us an idea of the cost for the remaining coves and ravines on the Griffy loop,” said natural resources manager Steve Cotter.
The Griffy Lake Loop Trail was a focus of a 2018 Bicentennial Bond which addressed connectivity improvements on the dam side of the lake. However, the parks department approved $1.8 million in bond money to build a walkway on the opposite end in October 2021.
Cotter said the new ravine bridge will enhance the loop trail in anticipation of the causeway walkway project wrapping up this summer.
“I wish the whole thing could be finished when the walkway is finished, but unfortunately it will be a while until we can get the whole thing constructed,” he said. “But the walkway is a great first step.”
Drone picture showing updated walkway construction on North Headley Road. This $1.8 million project over the Griffy Lake causeway was approved in October 2021. (Courtesy: City of Bloomington/E&B Paving)
