HELEN - The Helen City Commission is united in wanting to clean up Helen Riverside Park, a park intended for residents and visitors to gather and quietly enjoy the area along the Chattahoochee River.
At Tuesday morning's meeting, the issue of park misuse was raised - particularly things that happened over the Independence Day weekend.
That misuse ranges from people bringing in tents, shelters and personal grills; dumping charcoal on the ground when seven well-marked ash receptacles are provided adjacent to existing park grills; visitors entering the river from the park, resulting in eroded riverbanks; people bringing in alcohol, which is prohibited; and people improperly utilizing riverside picnic tables for the entire day.
Commissioner Fred Garmon said over the weekend people were arriving at 5 a.m. and staking claims on the picnic tables, which Commissioner Jeff Ash likened to people saving tailgate spots at University of Georgia football games.
As of Tuesday, there were 13 picnic tables and seven grills and ash receptacles at Helen Riverside Park.
Now, commissioners want those removed, hoping it will foster better behavior from park visitors.
Following lengthy discussion and with input from all city commissioners, Ash made a motion "to begin to convert the park to a passive park," taking it back to its original purpose of providing a quiet sanctuary along the river.
Commissioners said they want police to enforce existing park rules.
But Public Works Director Ross Hewell said with only two officers working during the day most weekends, they often are too busy enforcing laws to check for park rule violations.
City leaders stressed it is a park, not a campground as some people are trying to make it.
Commissioner Helen Wilkins said she recently saw a male and female asleep together in a sleeping bag on top of a picnic table.
"I just think we need to upscale our public park," said Commissioner Judy Holloway.
Since park management falls under City Manager Jerry Elkins, commissioners gave him authorization to amend the rules to better suit the intent of the park.
Things that won't be allowed in the park include: tents and shelters, and hammocks; plastic tarps or other materials attached to trees in any way, portable tables, and grills or cookers of any sort. Already and still prohibited are organized sports, including football, soccer and baseball.
Folding chairs and blankets will be allowed, and the city will add some concrete benches to accommodate visitors.
"We've got a beautiful park down there," Ash said. "That pavilion is as nice as they come."
Commissioners said pavilion use will be restricted to those who request its use through city hall.
Ash suggested a timetable of two weeks for removal of the picnic tables, grills and accompanying ash receptacles.
Following the meeting, Mayor Dona K. Burke stressed misuse is "ruining our park."
She said, "A lot of the citizens cannot even get down there to have a picnic if they have relatives in town, or have a family reunion under the pavilion, because people get there at 5:30 in the morning and they stay all day."
