POMONA'S PARKS
WHAT DO THE PEOPLE THINK?
During interviews with visitors at Ganesha Park and Washington Park, we received a surprising amount of comments about the homeless population living in the parks. We had noticed the large amount of homeless people at Ganesha Park, but there were none to be seen at Washington Park at the time we visited. Several people we spoke to at both of these parks mentioned that the parks would be perfect if it weren't for all of the homeless people around. There were many who said that they did not like to come to the parks because of this issue.
On a local real estate website, Niche.com, site users reviewed the city of Pomona as a whole. Many site users mentioned that there is a lot of gang activity and homeless people, specifically in the neighborhood parks. “There is a lot of gang activity and many homeless. It has potential but it seems like there is a lack of motivation from its residents to make it a better place”. Focusing on what people think of the parks in Pomona, Yelp reviews mentioned similar things. These online reviews seem to confirm the information from the in-person interviews we received at the parks. The homeless are effecting people's usage of the parks in Pomona:
Ganesha Park
“This place is horrible! Too many transients live here, use the toilet in the bushes and the restrooms are left to be desired.”
“The park is also filled with homeless people and for some people it is a bit unsettling.”
“There were transients, crackheads, and drug dealers everywhere. I swam here as a child, and it’s sad to see that the park hasn't changed in terms of those who inhabit it. The police know what's up so they don't even bother to come here unless someone has been shanked.”
“The park has many cool amenities. However, too many homeless living here, empty alcohol bottles, trash, and suspicious activity. This did not feel like a safe park.”
“This isn't the best place to bring a family around because there are a considerable amount of transients and drug use that goes on here and there. If the park was free of those elements then this park would totally be a 5-star park.”
“This would be such a beautiful park if there wasn't so many homeless people taking over half of it.”
“This park has some very sketchy characters, I just went for a run there and besides the inoffensive homeless people hanging out there, I did come across a bunch of gangster looking fellows at the top of the hill and several vehicles parked with "guys" just sitting there, who knows waiting for what. Quite unnerving, I do not recommend anyone to go here, not even during the day.”
“Homeless people, spent condoms, trash everywhere, bugs everywhere, little ghetto kids running a-wild like some Lord of the Flies prequel. Lots of weird people in the parking lot doing who knows what...creepy and disgusting!”
Washington Park
“This park has huge potential to be a great place for the youth, but homeless and gang bangers really do make this park ghetto.”
“Right in a little corner there by the soccer fields, there are always what I am assuming to be transients. I am not sure if they are just kicking it there or are living there, but every single practice, they are all there.”
“There are perverts and homeless men walking the premises.”