Council discusses winter day‑use limits and gating at parks after police raise safety concerns

The Columbus City Council heard concerns from the police chief about safety and transient activity at local parks during the colder months and discussed possible seasonal day‑use limits and physical gating to simplify patrols.

The police chief told the council the department has observed troublesome behavior and occasional arrests linked to individuals who do not register locally. "We do have a lot of riffraff that goes down into each... sometimes they come right over from Billings," the police chief said, arguing that limiting overnight access could make patrols more effective. He suggested keeping parks open for daytime use and restricting or gating lower park areas in winter.

Council members and meeting participants discussed practical details, including patrol frequency, restroom availability in winter and possible locations for a gate between upper and lower park sections. One council member suggested a seasonal restriction from Dec. 1 to March 1 for lower‑park access, allowing walk‑in use only. "If you wanna go down there, you can walk," a council member said while supporting day‑use limitations.

No formal motion or vote was taken on park closures or gates; the chair and staff said they will assemble proposals for the council to consider at a future meeting. The council did not set a timeline for presenting a formal plan.