Could better park design have prevented a tragedy?

It snowed overnight, and Sunday morning was crisp and bright. An email came in from a friend who lived close by reporting there had been a police incident at the park, but no details were forthcoming. I was running a couple of errands and had one foot out the door. I decided to swing by the park just to see what's up.

Satellite view of Grays Park (click image to view larger version)

There are probably not many sights that stir a mixture of anxiousness and empathy than seeing your child's school surrounded with police tape, even on a Sunday. McBride Annex School and the entirety of Grays Park was a crime scene. Thirty-third Avenue, one of Vancouver's important secondary arterials was blocked off by police cars and traffic dodged around onto the side streets.

I asked a VPD member what was going on and he told me this was the scene of a homicide.

I chaired Saturday morning's community meeting, and before the two dozen in attendance (not a huge crowd, but not bad for the start of an ice cold morning) I stated that public safety in Mountain View was at an all time high. I credited the community building process which had gathered momentum in recent years, and the presence of a regular volunteer foot patrol sponsored by the local community policing office. We had invited Vancouver's Director of Planning to speak to the room about more lofty subjects like urban density and public amenities.

These neighbours had gathered together because they cared about their community. No one from the room suggested that we should discuss the safety of our streets and parks.

Grays Park and the neighbouring school yard has been the regular subject of attention for our foot patrols over the past three years or so. School playgrounds often attract late night revelers, and so do dark corners of our city's parks. You can guarantee there will be empty beer cans or broken glass here for someone to clean up on many summer mornings.

There is a field of study labeled Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) which applies common sense principles to deter this kind of anti-social behaviour. I have no doubt that those who created Vancouver's parks understood these principles. But I wonder how much attention has been given to CPTED in recent years, judging by the obvious problems at Grays Park.

In the centre of the park there is a large gazebo with a tin roof covering a set of picnic tables. At 2am, the night of Deward's murder there were reports from neighbours of a noisy gathering at the gazebo. Unlit Poorly lit and surrounded by obstructions (fences, a playground, trees), you would need a military issue night scope to actually see what was happening at this spot.

It was freakin' cold. It was snowing. But a group of yahoos thought this structure was a safe harbour. A good place to get high and piss it up. They made a lot of noise, which attracted Deward and his companions who were hanging out at a house across the street. These were typical teens out way past their bedtime, probably bored out of their heads, and looking for a good time. A confrontation happened. Then a chase. Knives were pulled. For no apparent reason other than young male bravado 15-year-old Deward was stabbed to death by a stranger. A friend was also slashed, and he survived.

I can't begin to imagine the pain the families of these boys now must feel. I know that a community has been left to figure out how a proud part of our public realm can regain its reputation. Grays Park will be tainted by the crime which took place there. That is, unless we can understand how a better designed park might have prevented this tragedy.

Let's start with that gazebo. Why does it need to be a shelter from the elements? Without the tin on top it is unlikely a party would have taken place there in winter. Why must it be so hard to see from the street and surrounding homes? Trees, fences and other environmental elements obstruct or limit the view of this structure from over 75% of the edge of the park.

How about the park curfew of 10pm? How about we enforce that?

We live in a city, folks. There are lots of people who will hide in the shadows we provide for them. And at Grays Park there are plenty.

The rhododendrons that cover the west side of Grays Park Hall need pruning, if only for safety. Lord knows the building could use some sprucing up. The hiding spot provided by those bushes you could practically build a camp in. The benches beneath the arbors on the north side of the park are all obstructed by overgrown bushes. Seniors often meet here, and if they were accosted pedestrians nearby might not even know.

Let's start with the simple stuff first. Bring in a garden crew, and soon. Prune up the willow branches and reveal all the hiding spots now provided by overgrowth.

Next, let's come up with a real vision for this park. Our neighbourhood is one of the city's most park deficient, and we should really make it shine. I know some have asked for a water park like Chaldecott on Vancouver's west side to replace the hazardous hole in the ground known as a wading pool.

And I've always thought the bowling green is an underappreciated amenity. How can we make this a real draw? Right now it feels cut off from the surroundings. We just need to inject a little imagination into Grays Park.

Recognition of the problems of design and safety Grays Park faces is just a first step. Together as a community and with the cooperation of Park Board staff, we have to come up with solutions that will prevent it from happening again.