The Crestwood Parks and Recreation Department is considering the creation of a new part-time position within the city: park supervisor. Parks director Eilien Ramirez floated the idea at the Aug. 19 Park Board meeting, and she received positive feedback from board members.

If the role were created, Ramirez expects two or three part-time employees would be hired at the rate of $18 an hour. These park supervisors would alternate shifts from 5 – 9 p.m. on weekdays or 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, patrolling Crestwood parks in an effort to deter vandalism. They would also check on pavilion rentals ahead of the allotted time to ensure the space was clean and ready for the renter.

“If (people) know that we’re in the park, looking, maybe they’ll stop doing some of the things that they’re doing,” Ramirez said.

Park supervisors would train with Parks staff and members of the Crestwood Police Department to be able to discern when they should intervene with a parkgoer and when they should notify the police.

Ramirez suggested this might be a good job opportunity for college students, retired people or people looking for a second job at night. For safety purposes, she does not want to put these employees in the parks much later than nightfall. 

“I think it would be really helpful,” Park Board chairperson Debra Hewing said. “We’ve seen vandalism happen. It’s becoming expensive. It’s taking up a large part of our budget. It’s not attractive — all the spraypainting and destruction — and it’s taking a lot of our park staff away, spending so much time fixing and cleaning up.”