This story has been updated.
DOVER — Alerts about upcoming unsanctioned gatherings prompted the Kent County Department of Community Services to close the gates of three county parks and the City of Dover to close its parks at 3 p.m. Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18.
The sites affected by the closures are Brecknock County Park on Old Camden Road in Camden; Tidbury Creek County Park on South State Street in Dover; and Big Oak County Park on Big Oak Road in Smyrna.
The Dover directive was for all city parks.
“Every now and again, we will get information from authorities about social media ‘pop-up’ parties” that happen across the area, said community services director Jeremy Sheppard on Friday.
“Large groups of individuals will meet up at an open space and have a very large gathering and party that essentially becomes overwhelming for the facility — and even for authorities — at that point.”
Such closures have been needed in the past, he added, noting a September 2020 shooting at an unsanctioned event at Dover’s Schutte Park that left one man dead and another injured. That party drew 300-500 people, according to the Dover Police Department.
“This isn’t new to us,” Mr. Sheppard said of the gatherings. “This is currently our best way of combating this (problem). We don’t have any park rangers, and we don’t have any police forces. We don’t have any other way to control this, outside of just closing the gates at the parks.”
Revelers at previous pop-up events have broken fencing, caused minor fire damage, littered extensively and trashed restrooms, he continued.
“It really interrupts the normal operation of the public parks here in Kent County, to the point where it’s just unsafe,” Mr. Sheppard said.
Via social media, the city of Dover said Tae Kwon Do in the Pitts Center, soccer practices at Schutte Park and softball practices at Blackshear Park were canceled Friday.
Special Olympics softball practice at Schutte Park on Saturday was canceled.
Dover's Little League opening day will continue as scheduled.
By