Neighbors worry kids could fall in hole outside Jacksonville park

Neighbors got so sick of waiting for a hole in the ground outside Brooklyn Park to get covered up, they took matters into their own hands.

They put some boards over the top for now.

Grandmother Ayesha Covington said she’s been complaining to the city for years that kids could fall in and get hurt.

The 2-foot deep square hole used to house an AT&T fiber optics box, according to city of Jacksonville spokesperson Tia Ford.

Ford said the city added three “bollards” – three 3-foot concrete pillars – around the hole “to establish a barrier and provide caution” after a neighbor complained two years ago.

Right outside the Brooklyn Park baseball field and across the street from the playground, Covington said the concrete pillars do nothing to keep kids away.

The thin wooden boards that neighbors put on top of the hole have gotten soft and flimsy.

“Some smart kid just jumps on it, you know,” said Covington, “And, boom, they go in.”

Covington called Action News Jax after seeing our story Monday about Amari Harley, a 3-year-old who died after falling into a septic tank at Bruce Park. The JSO case file said the tank’s rubber lid was not screwed down.

“When I saw the baby who drowned, it’s just very disconcerting that the city doesn’t take this seriously,” said Covington.

Ford said the city “alerted AT&T of this for resolution” two years ago.

Action News Jax asked Ford whether AT&T has actually responded to that request within the past two years.

We’re waiting to hear back.

“They won’t address issues in the urban core until someone gets killed or someone’s hurt. And it shouldn’t happen because you do have people reporting, that consistently report the issues,” said Covington.

With all the rain Jacksonville started getting this week, Covington said she’s worried the boards won’t last much longer.

Cox Media Group