Our playgrounds are getting filthy

Thousand Oaks is a wonderful place to live. It has often claimed to be the safest city in California. Our public schools are outstanding, and our weather is lovely. Many families with young children live in our area. But there is something that basically only the parents, caregivers and children know about our local playgrounds.

They are filthy.

From a distance, a person will see pristine cut grass and lovely manicured flower beds and a cute play area. Get closer and you will find that is simply not the case.

My 2-year-old son likes to play outdoors. I have gone from park to park in Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks to try to find one play structure not surrounded or riddled with dog poop. Forget the garbage.

Today we went to a park on Glastonbury only to find feces on the play structure as soon as you climb out of a tunnel 5 feet up. The other day, the park on Evenstar was loaded with dog poop in the sand area.

Old Meadows Park had empty lighters and garbage. It's widely known among parents who frequent these parks with their little ones which areas are disgusting and which parks are "okay."

I am so tired of picking up trash. If everyone chipped in and picked up their garbage and their dog's poop, our playgrounds would be terrific.

In the meantime, who is responsible for keeping the parks tidy besides the people who use them? Why isn't the sand checked frequently by the people who maintain the parks?

It could be a real health hazard if it doesn't get corrected.
Jennifer Levin
Westlake Village