Published Sunday, September 05, 2010
Reaction mixed to Ashley Park crackdown
The Newnan Times-Herald
There's a growing intolerance nationwide for teenage shenanigans, especially in shopping centers that have become teen hangouts -- and Newnan's own Ashley Park is no exception.
Many of these venues are implementing proactive policies aimed at discouraging or preventing young people from congregating.
The crackdown on teenagers, though, is being met with mixed reviews from teens and parents, says Ashley Park Facilities Manager Lee Batups.
In recent years, malls have been adopting policies that require teens to be accompanied by adults after certain hours, according to the Aug. 11 "Christian Science Monitor." The move is an attempt to curtail rowdy behavior and loitering that many establishments say has become bad for business.
"Ashley Park is a community-based shopping center," said Batups. "It's a place for people to come and enjoy the park as well as shop. We want our customers to have quiet enjoyment. We don't want to run off anyone, but we also want to make sure everyone is safe."
Recently, Ashley Park has had problems with teenagers and vandalism and overall disrespectful behavior. Batups said center employees have broken up some fights, the fountains have been soaped, and they've had garden pots kicked over and damaged. They've also watched teenagers drive recklessly in the retail center, and they've caught teenagers having sex after hours in their vehicles.
The last thing a patron reading outside Barnes & Noble wants to experience is a pack of unruly teenagers hanging out "cussing, smoking and making them unhappy," he said.
"We're trying to curb some of the bad behavior," said Batups.
That said, Batups stresses that Ashley Park officials are trying to walk a fine line and not run off teenagers just because they're there.
"We want people to come out and enjoy the park, and you don't have to be shopping," said Batups. "At the same time, there are customers who are out here shopping and doing the things they need to do. A lot of parents just drop their kids off."
The security officers at Ashley Park are not babysitters, he said.
Off-duty Newnan Police officers work the retail center on Friday and Saturday nights. Security also monitors the shopping venue. When the shopping center closes, security keeps youngsters closer to the theater.
"From a liability stance, if something happens to them, their parents could sue us," said Batups, adding that by the theater they're at least in a lighted, well-supervised area.
Some parents, according to Batups, like that the center is "keeping an eye out." However, some parents are complaining that children aren't going to Ashley Park to get in trouble, yet they're treated like part of the problem -- and that leaves them with nowhere to go to be teenagers.
"Children finally have a place to go that's outside, and then they're run off," said Tammy Daugherty. "They have as much right to be there as anyone else does. I don't think it's fair."
"We're trying to balance this respectfully for everybody," said Batups. "It is a shopping center, not a place to hang out. Our tenants pay rent. Our first responsibility is to our tenants and then to the customers. We're trying to make everybody happy, but we can't do it. It's just not possible."
Still, Batups is quick to acknowledge that not all teenagers are problematic and that most are potential shoppers that pack a lot of spending power.
Teens spent $169 billion in 2004, and 78 percent of teens reported shopping in a mall in the past 30 days, according to marketing research published in "Christian Science Monitor."
Coweta Juvenile Court Chief Intake Officer Terry Calhoun reported that, since January, there have been approximately 50 shoplifting complaints from the shopping center. In some of these cases, the teenagers involved were with their parents at the time. Calhoun said that, compared to other shopping centers similar to Ashley Park, 50 incidents is light.
Calhoun is outspoken about his belief that a lack of supervision is often to blame in cases where youth slip into criminal activity.
"When you give a child too much free rein, you are really asking for trouble," said Calhoun.
However, Calhoun said he frequents Ashley Park with his family and has never encountered a situation involving a teenager being a nuisance.
"There seems to be a handful that create a problem for the rest," he said. "We have some great young people in our county. If they are pushed out of the public's eye, where will they be?"
Marissa Clark, Mollie Moviedo and Rachel Williams are all ninth-graders at East Coweta High School. The girls frequent the shopping center with friends. They've each been approached by security in the evening hours and told to return to the movie theater or leave.
Clark said she thinks it's fair for Ashley Park to be proactive if they've implemented the rules as result of past problems.
Williams agreed with Clark, saying that if stores are closed, she understands they have no need to be hanging out in the shopping center.
Moviedo said she visits Ashley Park with friends just about every weekend because "it's just a fun place to hang out." She particularly enjoys that there is a variety of stores -- and a candy shop.
But one incident with whom she termed a "rude" security guard left a bad taste in her mouth.
"We were sitting on a bench by DSW and he asked us to get up and go," said Moviedo. "We had just sat down. He got an attitude and started yelling."
Moviedo said she doesn't think it's fair that teenagers can't be at Ashley Park past a certain time.
"Most of us are mature enough," she said. "If people are causing problems and acting out, then they should be kicked out."
