Visalia pushes for kid only parks

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- There's now a push in the South Valley to ban adults who don't have kids with them from a local playground.

The monkey bars and slides near Court and Pearl Streets are a place for kids to just enjoy being kids. But in this part of Visalia, growing up can be a real challenge. "It's drug infested around here. A lot homeless are around here and if they continue to see these types of things that's all they are going to be taking in," said Josh Huerta.

Huerta helps run the Wittman Center on sit which gives young people a place to play outdoors and shoot hoops in a tough area. He told us a big problem in these parts is another outdoor park located right next door. "There are a lot of homeless and a lot of meth addicts," said Huerta.

Parents want their children in a much safer setting. "It's for families. I don't think they should be subjected to having outside interferences like narcotics," said Yvonne Cuellar.

Huerta is now pushing to make the playground a place where adults who don't have children with them are banned.

City leaders say they get several complaints every month about the issue.

"We design our parks for a lot of adult activities we just don't think that adults should be in children's playground areas which are designed for their own children or if they are serving as guardians of their kids," said Vince Elizondo with the Parks and Recreation Department.

Legal experts think it'll be a hard sell to ban anyone from a city owned property. "If it's being supported by tax payer money, everyone pays into it and it's limited to just children, I think it would violate equal protection of the laws of the United States Constitution," said ABC30 legal analyst Tony Capozzi.

The Visalia Parks and Recreation Department is expected to discuss the issue next week to decide whether city council should vote on it.

The Meeting will take place July 22nd at 5:30pm at the council chambers at city hall, located at 707 w. Acequia, Visalia, CA 93212