Are there security concerns at Edison Woods MetroPark?

BERLIN TWP. — Erie MetroPark officials dispute claims from a resident who believes, at times, Edison Woods MetroPark can turn into an unsafe place.A man who lives adjacent to the Ceylon Road green space indicated several factors contribute to an uneasy feeling he and others experience there. Among his main concerns he relayed to the Register on Wednesday:• At least one person keeps dropping off cats and abandoning other animals at the park.• With the park's gates remaining open, it invites suspicious activity, such as people sitting in cars almost every night for several minutes with their lights off.Though these perceived problems have neither been witnessed by district workers nor documented by park rangers or local law enforcement agencies.Amy Bowman-Moore, the district's executive director, addressed his points in full.On the cats: "None of the staff here at Erie MetroParks, or I, are aware of a feral cat problem at Edison Woods MetroPark. I canvassed the personnel who typically work on this property, and they seldom see cats. This is unlike the feral cat problem in the past at Osborn MetroPark, where cats were being fed by humans, humans were leaving makeshift shelters, and six to 10 cats could be seen at a time. None of these signs are evident at Edison Woods, and the area doesn't seem to have a feral cat problem. I am sure some animals may get dumped at various locations, but it seems nature takes its course. It would take a lot of cats to overrun a 1,300-acre property."On the gate: "The gates for the parks have not been closed for several years. This has worked out well. The parks are protected by more updated methods. By not having an actual person physically close the gates provides more flexible hours of use. Also, if one closes a gate, a gate must be opened in the morning. One of the complaints we had from park users was the gates weren't open in the morning when they wanted to get in the park. It takes time for a person to physically travel the county opening gates. The solution was not to close the gate and guard the property by other means."On park security: "Currently, Erie MetroParks has two rangers on staff, however, Erie MetroParks has a close working relationship with the Erie County Sheriff's Office and ask that they respond to calls where law enforcement may be necessary. Erie MetroParks has no reports of any nefarious activity in this location. The parks are very safe, the Erie County Sheriff has a very quick response time if needed."Anyone who sees suspicious or criminal activity at Edison Woods MetroPark or any other district property can call the sheriff's office at 419-625-7951.Reach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.In this 2016 photo, Erie MetroPark's naturalist Cheryl Kilmer, far right, speaks to a Milan-area Girl Scout troop about the environment salamanders and frogs live in, found in vernal pools at Edison Woods MetroPark. One local resident claims the park, at times, can become unsafe, as people dump cats, abandon other animals and sit in parked cars for several minutes there.