Bellevue lifts alcohol ban in park

The floodwaters will certainly recede, but it may never be dry in Haworth Park again.

On Monday night, the Bellevue City Council approved an ordinance exempting the campground, shelters and marina in Haworth Park from the citywide alcohol ban in public parks.

Councilman Steve Knutson, who sponsored the ordinance, said the rules governing drinking in the park would be drawn up and established by the Bellevue Police Department, the Parks Department and marina manager All Works Dredging.

Knutson said that the final wording of the rules was still being ironed out but that they would include prohibitions against kegs and glass bottles.

Both Council President Carol Blood and Councilman Don Preister expressed concern about lifting the ban. Blood asked that language be included in the ordinance requiring the council review the situation in two years. Preister introduced a letter of concern from Diane Riibe, executive director of Project Extra Mile, the group that works to prevent underage drinking, that urged the council to maintain the alcohol ban.

Preister said he hoped lifting the ban, which has been loosely enforced in the marina and campground as long as people have kept drinking under control, would not result in an increase in bad behavior.

“I hope that the people that use it will not abuse it,” Preister said.

Councilman Dave Sanborn cast the lone dissenting vote.

Capt. Herb Evers said the Police Department did not have any objections to the Haworth exemption and would work with Public Works Director Jerry Hare to craft sound rules and regulations.

Evers said they would probably re-emphasize the standing rule that all park guests aside from registered campers have to leave the park by 10 p.m.

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