Cheyenne Park – Citizen Assistance Requested

May 31st, 2007

Cheyenne Park – Citizen Assistance Requested

Neighborhood assistance is being solicited from citizens at Cheyenne Park to stem a rash of incidents involving attempted arson and vandalism.

Two fires were set over the Memorial holiday weekend at Cheyenne Park, which opened in 1979. The target of the fires was Cheyenne Park’s one- year-old restroom building, which replaced the park’s original restroom/concessions building that was destroyed in March 2004 by arson.

“Cheyenne Park’s open space and sports fields serve the neighborhood and community,” said Don Wendell, the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Plano. “We’re appealing to park users and the adjacent neighborhood to help us keep a watchful eye on Cheyenne Park by reporting any suspicious activity to the Plano Police Department.”

Cheyenne Park’s playground was burned in November 2006 as a result of arson. The playground was rebuilt over the winter and opened for neighborhood use in April 2007. The playground’s replacement cost was $60,000.

Cheyenne Park’s restroom building was built to be vandal resistant at a cost of $180,000. It has proven to be fire resistant as well.
“The most recent fire caused smoke damage, but the structure wasn’t damaged,” said Wendell. “The restroom is closed while it is being cleaned and that is an inconvenience to park users, something we do not want to see repeated.”

A security camera will be installed soon at Cheyenne Park and, temporarily, the restroom building will be opened only during scheduled activity.
Although Cheyenne Park’s restroom building was rebuilt after the March
2004 fire, the impact on the neighborhood and community has been far reaching.
Sports fields at the park site used by local youth leagues were not playable for a year because lighting controls and key components of the irrigation system were destroyed by the fire.

Both lighting and irrigation controls have since been repaired at a cost of $70,000 and youth leagues returned to Cheyenne Park in the fall 2006.
Cheyenne Park is currently scheduled for renovations and updating in 2008. Preliminary plans will be unveiled at a public input meeting that will be conducted later this summer.

The Plano Fire Department is actively investigating the fire; offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this crime. “This is the most destructive means of vandalism used against a community and is an attack on the community as a whole” said Fire Marshal David Kerr. If you have information regarding this fire you may
confidently contact Lt. Tim Taylor with Plano Fire Department at 972-941-7662.