There is no maps of Switchyard park. It's not clear where facilities are so you can choose best parking area. Also there should be trail crossing signs on B-line. I walked right into traffic by pavilion, because I didn't realize I was approaching the trail. I thought trail ran along the side of the park, not right down the middle. Permanent signage is needed.
There is an older fellow who consistently comes to the park on a bike with his dog and plays loud, very explicit music on a Bluetooth speaker. I wouldn't really have an issue if there weren't so many kids around that don't need to hear that music aloud. He should wear headphones like everyone else. To give a physical description for better identification, he has long, somewhat greying hair and looks to be in his mid to late 40s. He always wears a backwards baseball cap, sunglasses, a t-shirt, and shorts. The dog is a small to mid size breed, mostly grey with some brown and white spotting. He frequents the tables outside the two dog parks but never actually enters the large or small dog parks. I believe this qualifies as being a public disturbance/nuisance and enough people seem bothered by it that it seems like someone with authority should take action to get him to cease.
There is a homeless camp set up inside the trail area in the northwest part of RCA Park, on the trail west of the University Quarry section, before the trail splits to the west and south. There are several tents and the inhabitants have at least two aggressive dogs. It also likes they were clearing the area with a hatchet or machete. This is right off the trail, inside the park.
Homeless harassing park patrons. They are also stealing power from an outlet on the pole in the north east corner of park. They have piled up trash in that corner of the park as well.
From the bridge above the Falls Shelter at Lower cascades were abandoned power poles, wires and overhead lamps. The wire and some parts and salvage value - copper is what - $4/lb. A theft appears to have taken place - 100 lbs + of wire - the wires gone, the metal gone, but the removal was done in haste because the trail is littered with chards of glass, plastic and metal pieces, including the wire nuts used with the lamps. What remains is a wooden lamp post and the attached electrical box which would have been difficult to salvage. I figure a theft, because the nation is riddled with wire thefts - irrigation wires on farms, new wire stripped from houses under construction, etc. The remaining litter is a hazard to walkers and runners, and it will take some time to clean it all up.
What appears like a noose hanging from a tree across from the playground and bridge In Lower Cascades Park.
We came on the of 8/24 and they capsized a boat with 2 people in it and then we returned the next weekend and they loaded the boat improperly and we didn't even get to enjoy ourselves because we were to busy trying to keep the other boat from Going in circles because they put the larger person in the front and when I tried to let him know he rolled his eyes at me and walked away then still charged us the full amount
About 2:30, 1/11/24, twelve cars were at Griffy Lake dam parking lot, with two more, both City vehicles, and I asked one of them "Do bladders and bowels stop working in winter?" At first, no comprehendre. I said, why is the rest room locked? I asked them to pass on my complaint, and the guys directed me to U-REPORT. After my run at 3:30, 18 cars were in the parking lot, none city vehicles. Griffy Lake sees more than 50 cars a day, perhaps more than 100 - where the rest room? This is plainly a sanitation issue. If there's no restroom, at least walk the trails with a pooper-scooper!
There are overnight campers in the park harassing people
I have a very old soft maple tree in my front yard. I would like to have it pruned but am unsure of who's responsibility it is for 2 reasons: 1 being there are major power lines that are resting on the limbs (close to the trunk of the tree) and 2, I believe the tree is located within 6 ft of the city street and was told that the city owns the 6 foot easement between streets and properties? I would like to have it pruned evenly because of tree's age and weight distribution. Could someone contact me about this?