Resident urges Salisbury council not to remove Boundless Park gazebo, calls for more policing

Eugene Harnick, a member of the Parks and Recreation Committee, asked the Salisbury City Council not to remove the gazebo at Boundless Park, saying the shaded structure is the only place for parents and visitors to sit and that removing it would worsen conditions for people with disabilities.

"If we remove that gazebo, there's no places for parents to sit," Harnick said, adding that the park lacks trees and accessible shade. He acknowledged reports of syringes and alcohol containers but said those are enforcement issues: "You can only stop it by enforcing the laws we have on the books and adding proper patrols."

Harnick and other residents said a recent plan to pause gazebo renovation—after learning of a possible removal—has put committee-funded improvements on hold. Mike Perunsky, another resident, urged the council to use the Community Development Block Grant action plan to rehabilitate park infrastructure instead of removing it.

Council members who responded acknowledged littering and safety concerns and suggested targeted patrols and lighting as alternatives to tearing down park structures. The chair asked the police chief to consider increased park checks; no formal motion to remove the gazebo was recorded during public comment.

The public comment speakers who addressed the gazebo framed the issue as a trade-off between preserving inclusive amenities and addressing crime or disorder through enforcement, lighting and maintenance rather than removal. The council adjourned after additional administrative updates and event announcements.