Orient Grove concerns
I’ve lived in Williamsburg for the past 24 years and near Orient Grove for the past 6. From everything I understand, this is a public park, and it’s been maintained by the same person/family for roughly the last 20 years. I genuinely appreciate the time, money, and effort that’s clearly gone into caring for it over the years. When it's well maintained, it's beautiful.
What I don’t understand is how a public park can effectively function as a private space. The gates are almost always locked, and access increasingly seems limited to family, friends, or invited guests. Lately the only person I see there is a younger man who seems to be connected from the family coming and going from the shed.
What’s even more frustrating is that the space now appears to be deteriorating. There are trash bags sitting in the middle of the park, rusting equipment left out, overgrowth, and the space is no longer being maintained at the level it once was...or at all.
I’m not looking to “take over” the park or diminish the work that’s been done there. But if this is truly public land, it feels reasonable for the community to ask basic questions about access and accountability.
At minimum, it seems like there needs to be a real conversation about what this space is supposed to be: a private family compound or a public neighborhood park.
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