After rising concerns from residents about disturbances at a local park, the Town of Montgomery decided to close the gates an hour earlier.

Riverfront Park is in the center of Montgomery, located on Farm Meadow Lane and off Bailey Road. The park is often used for fishing and has walking trails, along with picnic tables and a pavilion. There is also a portable sanitary facility available from April until November.

This park in particular differs from neighboring parks due to being located in a residential area, and the town board started hearing complaints in April that too much goes on late at night at that park.

Warren Boldrin, who lives right next to the park and acts as the park’s gatekeeper, stated concerns about the safety and security of the park at night.

“That park is different from other parks [because] it is in a residential neighborhood. It’s not out in the woods that no one visits. That park gets all kinds of traffic. There’s all kinds of graffiti when the park is unlocked. There’s parties that go on down there [and] there’s drinking at night,” said Boldrin when addressing the board a few weeks ago.

The town is modifying Riverfront park hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Before, it would close at 9 p.m.

All parks in Montgomery have new gates that work on a timer, so Boldrin won’t have to worry about closing the gate himself.