Monroe County and City of Rochester officials announced new safety measures at Ontario Beach Beach Friday after recent fights and turmoil rocked the lakeshore recreation area and the Lilac Festival a few days prior.
On Monday evening Rochester officers showed up to Ontario Beach Park to respond to multiple fights within a large crowd. According to police, the group included roughly 400 to 500 people.
Rochester police responded to a similar situation on May 17, when a fight broke out during the closing day of the Lilac Festival.
County Executive Adam Bello said he was a huge believer in parks and that when people come to visit they should feel safe and secured and everyone should be following the rules.
“The fighting that we saw take place and the violence that occurred is simply not going to be tolerated in our county parks,” Bello said. “Anyone who engages in this type of violence and any vandalism, assault, any criminal activity in county parks is going to be held accountable for their actions.”
New safety measures include security gates, cameras
To boost safety and security, new security gates have been installed in the parking lots to prevent any additional vehicles from coming in when the park closes at 10 p.m. Those who have rented out a shelter at the park are allowed to stay until 10:30 p.m.
Bello said people who are at the park after closing times will be cited for trespassing.
Portable cameras have also been installed that will give security live feeds and views of what is happening at the park and will give them the ability to record events.
Other safety measures include new lighting and a seasonal perimeter fence that will be installed to reduce the limit of entrance points into the park.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans noted several situations where this type of violence has occurred such as the Webster Fireman’s Carnival and in Fairport.
Evans affirmed that anyone who is causing mayhem and chaos in public spaces in Rochester will be banned.
“If anyone is in a public space and we are able to positively identify individuals that come here and decide they want to turn up, create mayhem — you will be banned from our facility,” Evans said. “We believe we are within our law to do that. Those rules will be posted in all city parks and city facilities, you come and want to misbehave, you’re out.”
During the conference, officials also noted that the Dentzel Menagerie Carousel opens today from 12 to 7 p.m. and it will be free of charge for the holiday weekend.
—Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New gates, cameras placed at Ontario Beach Park after fights
Reporting by Kerria Weaver, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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