LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A North Las Vegas mother says her neighborhood park has become a safety hazard for children in the area.
Krystl Rowe has lived in the neighborhood with her family for several years and homeschools her children. She says Joe Kneip Park, which her kids love to visit to run around and meet new friends, has become too dangerous due to broken playground equipment and homeless activity.
VIDEO: Jhovani Carrillo talks to a Las Vegas mother about potential safety hazards at neighborhood park
"Right here, you can see, it's supposed to have covers, but they're not, and in the summer—these get incredibly hot," Rowe said while pointing out damaged equipment.
Rowe showed areas where safety covers are missing and sections where children could fall through gaps.
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"This is like crazy to me. This whole missing section, and kids walk up here and can just fall through," Rowe said.
While she hasn't seen children actually fall through the gaps, Rowe says she frequently sees them peering through with their upper bodies hanging out.
"There's jagged metal sticking out. There's literally equipment hanging by a thread. There's just a lot of bad, hazardous equipment," Rowe said.
The playground isn't the only concern. Rowe also pointed out damaged workout equipment on the other side of the park, with metal sticking out that's jagged and broken.
She says she's also witnessed homeless people using drugs in the area.
"There's also the fact that there's a lot of drug paraphernalia around the park sometimes. When we come to pick up the park, I have found drug needles," Rowe said.
The safety issues have prevented her family from enjoying their neighborhood park.
"What family doesn't want to be able to really enjoy their neighborhood park? But instead, it's: 'Oh no guys we can't play at the park because it's broken,' ...heartbreaking for them," Rowe said.
Rowe says she reached out to the parks and recreation director for the City of North Las Vegas, but her concerns have not been addressed.
Channel 13 reached out to the city about the concerns. They shared the following statement:
The City of North Las Vegas is committed to providing safe parks for our residents to enjoy and create memorable experiences. Joe Kneip Park is one of the oldest in the City, and even though the park is cleaned and maintained regularly, the amenities have aged and need to be replaced. The broken playground equipment, including the large shade cover, has been removed as of Wednesday, October 8. Our Community Services Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement (H.O.M.E.) team has agreed to focus more on this area regarding unhoused individuals so they can offer proper resources for assistance, and the North Las Vegas Police Department regularly patrols our parks as well. I have asked our Park Superintendent to make sure Joe Kneip is cleaned and maintained daily and that any issues get reported immediately. We do keep maintenance records of plumbing, electrical, lighting and other utility repairs in each of the City's 34 parks, and invite the community to report any concerns regarding our parks by calling 702-633-1171 so we can quickly make repairs and replacements as necessary.
"We could be saving so many kids from getting hurt," Rowe said.
If your park needs repairs or equipment to be replaced, the City of North Las Vegas says you can report it by calling 702-633-1171.
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