Gate Added Recently to Amarillo Park Leads to Questions

There was a recent question on social media about some gates being put up at John Stiff Park. For us lifers who refuse to call it that, we are talking about Southwest Park. Yes, we are Southwest Park old when we can't call it anything else. Oh, but that is where the questions started.

So I took a trip out there to see what they were talking about. Yes, there are some gates. Then there is some fencing being put up. So there are a lot of questions. Maybe we can get to the bottom of everything that is going on at this Amarillo city park.

So the first question was about the gates that have been installed. They are orange and white on one side.

There were a couple of places in the park where these gates were put in. One is right at 48th and Parkside. What are these gates used for? Many have suggested that they are being used to keep people out.

OK, yes that is the purpose of a gate like that. The city parks close every night at midnight. So maybe those gates close at midnight to help with keeping out of the park. It was also suggested that those will be used when our city floods. With McDonald Lake right in that area that answer also makes sense. I mean the less people in the area when the lake is flooded, the better.

When I drove in the area I also saw a lot of other fencing being put up. Is this going to be permanent? What is going on?

It's being put up all around the park. Fencing around McDonald Lake and nearby John Stiff, again, Southwest Park as well. I am not sure if that is going to be as permanent as the orange gates are since that fencing may be all for the upcoming Independence Day celebration that Amarillo will be having on July 5th.

Amarillo is once again trying its hand at both fireworks and adding a drone show as well. Interesting and welcome for our city for sure. So fencing and gates are a part of the city park. We can live with it.