I was not amused at all by Brian Clacey's Oct. 2 letter, "Who's distressing the kids?" (which was a response to my Sept. 25 letter, "Dangers lurk at local park"). Although Clacey claims to have a long association with Japan, I have to wonder if he ever raised young children here.
Who's distressing the kids? Obviously, the prostitutes, their clients, the drunks, smokers and pedophiles. I know, because my daughter has told me that she does not enjoy the park because of these people. While she doesn't know who they are or exactly what they are doing, she knows something is not right and it bothers her. Children are a lot more aware of their environment than Clacey gives them credit for. When your child doesn't want to go to a park full of playground equipment, something is wrong.
If the prostitutes and their clients used the sidewalk to go around the park, perhaps the children wouldn't mind so much. But when they traipse through the middle of it and children have to stop playing or run to get out of their way, they mind.
I fully understand that public parks are meant to be used by the public. But this is a park that has been especially designed for young children. Is it too much to ask that such a park have a safe and pleasant environment? Is it too much to ask that the public servants paid with our taxes enforce park regulations?
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