It opened with fanfare and much hope that it would help bring down the crime rate in Seattle’s Little Saigon.
Less than eight months after it opened, Ho Mai Park is closing to install a new security gate.
According to KOMO, the park has become a hotbed of drug activity and vandalism.
Now Ho Mai is temporarily closed while crews install new fences and a security gate.
“We quickly lost it to blatant drug use,” said community activist and former City Councilwoman Tanya Woo. “We want to go back to how this area used to be.”
Back in July, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell declared the city was committed to ensuring both public safety and providing drug treatment.
“This is a gem in the city and that’s why it’s so critical for us to preserve the cultural gem and make sure it’s safe,” Harrell said to Fox13 back in July.
