CHULA VISTA - Chula Vista City Council members vote unanimously to temporarily close Harborside Park because of the drug use and homeless problem.
Chula Vista Elementary School District Superintendent Eduardo Reyes tells NBC 7 the illegal activities going on at the park has become a danger to students at nearby Harborside Elementary School.
"Right now we're risking something horrible happening," said Reyes." "They're being exposed to illegal drug use, different crimes. We're finding needles on the ground, different drug paraphernalia. It is a very unsafe situation for students."
Starting August 31st, outreach groups will clear the park, helping homeless people to move somewhere else. Homeless advocates have spoken out against the plan to close the park. Those who've been camping there, like Raien Perry, said they'll just move along to the next park.
"I'll go to J Street Park," said Perry. "We'll go to a bigger place. They've got showers over there."
The city will spend about $350,000 to put up a temporary fence and hire security to keep people out, buying the city time to develop a plan to keep the area clean and safe.
Photo: KGTV