STROUD TOWNSHIP, PA — Most days during the work week, Yetter Park in Stroud Township is pretty quiet. But ask neighbors what it's like on the weekend, and you get a much different story.
"You can't get in here on the weekends. Out-of-towners come, and it's just so packed, and it's just a mess. So you can't really enjoy your time," Brandy Martinez of East Stroudsburg said.
Stroud Township Manager Daryl Eppley said visitors have been violating the park's rules, leaving trash behind, and overcrowding the park. Eppley said these park violations are what lead township officials to close two parks.
"They have no regard for our rules and regulations and our environmentally sensitive parks," Eppley said.
Hickory Valley Park will close on weekends and holidays. Yetter Park will now close at noon on the weekends, but the trails will be open.
Eppley said other townships are dealing with similar problems.
"I think other communities are going to have stronger measures in place to deal with this because we can't tolerate this. Enough's enough," he said.
People who live next to Yetter Park said once this parking lot gets filled, people then start to park on their lawns, making it difficult for them to sometimes pull in and out of their driveways.
"I believe that the park is there for the enjoyment of the community. People who live around here, we don't mind having people coming over, but when it starts becoming overcrowded, it becomes a problem," Andre Lavache said.
"My suggestion was the Township instead of having a guard here and paying them to have somebody standing up here giving them a plastic bag to put the trash in. Just a friendly reminder, please put your trash in and bring it out here," Diane Wenger said.
Township officials said if the new restrictions work, they may implement them next summer.
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