River Park Curfew
On Thursday River Park management announced that their new 6/18 curfew, set to take effect on August 3, would be postponed for 30 days to allow for more public input.
The curfew states that no one under the age of 18 can be at the shopping center on Friday and Saturday nights, unless they're accompanied by an adult.
The new regulation is bringing up all sorts of legal questions and some attorneys say the rule doesn't have a legal leg to stand on.
We want to know what you think. Just click on the link below to post your comment and read what others have to say.
The curfew states that no one under the age of 18 can be at the shopping center on Friday and Saturday nights, unless they're accompanied by an adult.
The new regulation is bringing up all sorts of legal questions and some attorneys say the rule doesn't have a legal leg to stand on.
We want to know what you think. Just click on the link below to post your comment and read what others have to say.
posted by KSEE 24 News at
7/18/2007
26 Comments:
I think the idea is a good one, but the City should closely work with the ACLU to make sure all the legalities are followed.
I am eighteen,but I still sympathize with the problem younger teens are facing with this new rule. people complain that young people spend time doing things that are less than admirable but what are they supposed to do when their activities are limited by the opinions of a few annoyed adults. I predict River Park will lose money because most of their patrons are teens.
All teenagers do not go to River Park Shopping Center to cause trouble. This is a terrible discrimination to the teens. If loitering is an issue, then deal with the guilty parties. Do they have any idea how much teenagers spend! Next they will be telling senior citizens not to come because they are in the way. Come on River Park, this is ridiculous. By the way, I am a senior citizen!
This is a completely preposterous rule that cant possibly last. If River Park wants to cause unnessecary controversey by discriminating against teens then that's gonna hurt their businesses and ruin its name. I give it 2 weeks before the rule is removed
I do not go to River Park on the week-end because of the large hordes of teens just hanging around. This is happening at 10:00 at night. After listening to Ray Appletons show today I cant believe that we live in a world where people think it is ok for 13, 14 15 year olds to be unchaperoned that time of night. Two weeks ago my husband and i went to the Sports Cafe to get a late dinner and on our way there it looked like parts of River Park was taken over by very young prostitutes. Several young girls had babies on there hips. This was at 10:00. However a 8:00 curfew is reasonable time for young people to see a movie and have dinner then go home. Thank You
I think it is wrong, at least I know when I drop my daughter off at River park I know where she and her friends are, I also think this is going to very ahrd to control, seriously, an ID to get into Rvier Park??? They need to get over themselves and just let the kids hang out as long as no one is getting hurt. Let me tell you the first time they touch my daughter and try to put her in a holding cell, get real Fresno River Park
I think it's ridiculous to ban anybody from a shopping center. I don't understand why the manager of River Park is being such a Grinch. If you can drive a car and see an R rated movie you certainly should be able to shop past 6 pm. Last I checked, this was still the United States of America. What's next? What happens when River Park manager decides to exclude minorities or some other class of people he deems "undesirable?" This is a slippery slope that the manager is a fool for sliding down.
I don't think its right for them to make a new curfew. Where are all the teens going to go now? This is the only place where they can actually hang out. If the new curfew is going to happen, i don't think River Park is going to make money at all. Most business at River Park make money because of the teens. I really think this is not going to make it through.
Perhaps the managers of Riverpark should come up with a compromise. Is Riverpark riddled with teens? Yes and I agree that something needs to be done about it. I think that a curfew should be put into effect; however, 6 pm seems a little early. Don’t teens in Fresno have a regular curfew set in place for being out after a certain time without adult accompaniment? If Riverpark allowed teens to ‘hang-out’ until, say 8pm, then they could still catch a movie, eat or shop up until then and the older crowd could still enjoy the nightlife out there without the obnoxiousness of teenagers. I tend to avoid the area around the theater Friday and Saturday nights simply because it takes away from a good time to have ‘kids’ running around everywhere. Whether it be the movie theater itself, the bookstore or an outdoor seating at one of the restaurants, it’s a nuisance.
I'm in my late 20's and Fashion Fair had similar problems with teens when I was a teenager, so it's nothing new to Fresno. A shopping center isn't a babysitter, so if teens want to enjoy Riverpark they should do so with an adult.
River Park should not be used as a babysitter by parents. Studies have shown when malls restrict teen's from hanging out at the mall, mall sales go up because the teens are spending less (if they are buying anything at all), and are driving paying customers away. This happens because they do not want to put up with the groups of kids running around playing stupid games and disturbing the peace.
I'm 24, but I still think this is bogus. Fresno city should be the only ones to set up and enforce curfews. And a 6pm one? Why not a more normal 10pm curfew?
This will only cause problems for them. When I go to river park on a Friday or Saturday night it seems at least 50% of the customers around are ages 15-20. That means they are going to lose a lot of revenue by turning away people under 18.
If there are people causing trouble or loitering, whatever there age, than ask those to leave or have them escorted off. But this just seems silly.
I could understand if they were going to turn it into an outdoors club with alchohol then you might start ristricting underage kids, but in a shopping center???
ok I am a teen myself and this rule is ridiculous!!!! I work a full time job right now and if my boyfriend and I want to have dinner and see a movie we cant because we get off of work at 5:30 and we would still have to drive across town from our jobs. Now i can understand turning teens away from riverpark around 9:30-10:00 because our legal curfew is 10:00 but 6:00 is ridiculous. Most of the stores in riverpark gain most of thier money through us teens anyway so it is going to hurt them eventually. I do believe that the younger teens shouldnt be out that late anyways. My parents would let me go to riverpark but I was chaparoned by them. 13-15 year olds should not be out that late. they could get into some serious trouble. I agree with anonymous when they said that "If you can drive a car and see an R rated movie you certainly should be able to shop past 6 pm. " It is unfair to us other teens to let a couple of stupid punks ruin it for the rest of us.
I PERSONALY THINK THAT TEENS UNDER 18 DON'T GO TO CAUSE TROUBLE THEY JUST GO TO HAVE FUN WITH THIER FRIENDS. ALSO I THINK THAT 6PM IS A BIT TO EARLY ESPECIALLY ON FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS WHEN MOST TEEENS GO TO THE MALL OR THE MOVIES..
Once again, kids @ Riverpark prove parents don't know how to tell children the word NO!! Better to pay them off,I mean, give them money and send them off to somewhere else,where somebody else can deal with trying to tell them no. No wonder we have such gang problems! Even the people in authority don't seem to be able to JUST SAY NO !!
This is a ridiulous ruling for teens. Where do you want your kids...at a party drinking or doing drugs? I like that fact that I can send my kids safely to River Park and they can have a great time without me watching their every move. They need independence and need to be trusted. Are you going to push this rule due to a few kids ruining for the others? Catch and punish those who are doing bad things and leave the good kids alone!
ok..all fresno is doing as causing more problems for their community. i live in madera so theres not much to do here..but weekends i cant wait to go and hang out with my friends at river park. where else is there to go?? if we go anywhere else were just going to get kicked out of there too...ive been reading and paying close attention to this subject. I havnt heard of any fights there..no graffitti...no gangs/ gang related anything, so whats the point of this "cerfew". MOst of river parks buisiness is teens...i go with my grandmother all the time and have no problems with the teens hanging out there...and im not just saying this because i am a teen.How can everyone target us everytime something does go waron?? somebody breaks into a car...i bet the teens did it.....somebody shoplifts...oh it was probally a immature teen. i havnt seen proof of anything. kicking us out..or "cerfewing" us out isnt stopping crime...or slowing down the hanging out. now your going to have older people and little kids hanging around causing as much drama as us teens may cause if not worse. of all my times spent there day or night i havnt had any problems..neither has my grandmother.Wait...youll see....Fresno has enough drama going on with gang shootings..tagging and whatever else....theres going to be more because the community is angering the teens of fresno. we will now have no where else to go to get great food and a movie. tell me what teen wants to go watch a movie with there parents?? or guardian?? maybe some but we like time of our own sometimes..and parents/guardians will know where there kids are hanging out at rather than them having nowhere to go so they go out partying.Why are adults complaining about us hanging out there...were not bugging them..yea they may have to squeeze thruogh a group of teens but were glad to make room for them.were not taking over..we simply just want someplace to get away from fresno's rising gang violences and crimes.and getting rid of isnt going to stop car break ins..or lost children...i dont see how its our fault that people are losing there children??? i would call that irrisponsibility...but i dont even want to get into that. point being...THERES NO REASON FOR A DARN CERFEW IF THAY DONT EVEN HAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF THE AGES OF THE PEOPLE COMMITING THE CRIMES...OR OF THERE BEING A PROBLEM WITH ADULTS AND TEENS FIGHTING.....UNTIL I SEE PROOF OF IT BEING OUR FAULT FOR LOST CHILDREN AND CAR BREAK INS AND SHOP LIFTING....THEN I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS ACT!!!!! I DOUBT THAT WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THIS CRAZY IDEA HASNT THOUHGT OVER THE CONSEQUENCES THE OUTCOME MIHGT BE......THINK IT OVER AND GET BACK TO ME. I LIKE SOME PROOF. THANK YOU.
If their objective is to restrict this "hangout" on the grounds that they are running a business, then they obviously dont realize that without this "hangout" there wont be as much business. I believe they should be focusing their attention on other problems, like improving security. This is a horrible example of discrimination towards teens. If they are smart they will abandon this idea and move on to larger, more important issues.
I think this is a great idea. I tend to stay away from River Park on the weekends because I don't like dealing with the throngs of teens aimlessly wandering around. Teens will still be able to go to the theater and the bookstore, the management just doesn't want them clogging up the common area. To all those complaining that teens won't have anywhere to "hang out" Why not hang out at someones house. Oh that's right you don't want them hanging out near you, better that they be bothering someone else.
I'm a father of three kids, and my family doesn't go to Riverpark because, if we can find a parking spot, then the place is flooded with teenagers. The boys are loud, vulgar, and disrespectful. The girls dress like hookers. My young kids are very easily influenced by teenagers (my 6-year old said the other day, "Teenagers are cool."), and I do not want them thinking that screaming curses or showing their bare bodies is appropriate behavior in public.
Obviously, I'm all in favor of this curfew. Being a good parent and monitoring what my kids are exposed to is hard enough with TV, the internet, and movies. I shouldn't have to make an extra effort when we go for a fun night out.
Oh, and for and those of you who make the financial argument, the curfew makes good sense from a business perspective. Teenagers make for a horrible target market: they have little spending money, increase maintenance costs, steal more, and drive away older customers. The more Riverpark can appeal to responsible adults with steady incomes, they'll both increase profits and decrease overhead.
The problem with this is the fact that big time corporate folk try to make the word "hangout" into an operation of business. which to the teens eye, is redundant. if this new rule gets put into effect, it wont stop young teens from finding another place to sit around and chill, or, "hang out". which is in fact the correct way to put it, its a two word thing, not one, they dont deem the business or group of businesses a hangout, thats just what they are doing in the specific area. which in fact helps the business because im willing to bet that if and/or when this new rule comes into effect, the people who it will effect most will be the business not the teens; since all this rule will do is move the kids to a less restricted area. I say, let the kids chill, have a good time, and focus on the negative acts that come with the kids, and not punish the innocent teens that are there to have a good time and mingle with society.
I have been following this story since it broke, and let me say that I have wondered at the level of independence and supervision... or lack there of, given to some of the youngsters who seem very young to be anywhere alone in the evening hours. I am aware that “constitutional rights” are not necessarily afforded to minors. That said, I think a practice of discrimination on any basis is a practice that cannot be condoned. I think a public place is just that.... public. If there were a pending policy to say that adults over the age of 50 weren’t welcome at a public venue at any time, there would be a major outcry. Anyone who is not violating the law, including curfew laws, has the right to enjoy freedom from discriminatory practices.
I spend considerable time at River Park on the weekends and in the evening in the specific area around the theater. There are without a doubt kids coming and going to the movies, eating pizza, and drinking coffee or smoothies. Some are just socializing with friends. I have not ever been a party to, or witnessed, a person who appears to be under the age of 18 being rude or disruptive. I think it is a stretch to decide the presence of young people in the area during the evening hours posses a detriment to families. Perhaps we need to pay some attention to the reckless driving occurring on the streets surrounding River Park by the kids who are not congregating in the theater. Frankly, I far prefer to see kids socializing on foot that at 50 miles per hour.
Don’t you think this really speaks to a bigger issue in our community? Keeping in mind that the developmental stage of adolescence is the development of some autonomy and independence, what are the alternatives in Fresno?
If they are doing something illegal then have PD come and remove them. If not have Security ask them to leave if they are a problem. If they are just "Hanging Out" they still spend money. Even if it is just a soda or two. When you add up all the drinks, candy etc you would be surprised what that adds up to. Trust me I'm a mom of one of those teens who is always bumming a few bucks when he goes, and I know it adds up for me. I sure hope they like babysitting my teen because the first time they call me to pick him up I'm going to ruin both their days by making them wait until 10:00 (curfew time) to pick him up.
Why don't they get some Fresno State student who needs a few extra dollars and already 21 to be the chaperone. Each teen can pay 50 cents to a dollar. The rule doesn't say the chaperone had to be a parent or guardian just over 21. It also didn't say that the chaperone could only have 4 teens. What's to stop one person bringing in twenty teens?
I applaud the management of River Park who continue to address the problem of too many unsupervised teenagers in the common areas, sitting on the planters, fountains, ground and just plain being nuisances and disruptive to the adults and families who would like to enjoy a night dining at River Park. What about the rights of the adults and families who actually support River Park with their purchases. It takes money to keep up the mall. And what about property rights. The owners of River Park have every right to protect their investment. Why should River Park provide free baby sitting for parents who want to get their kids out of their hair. And to answer the kids' question about where they should "hang out", hey, how about at home!!!!! What a concept. Are these kids so starved for attention they have to congregate and bring attention to themselves by the way they talk, dress and carry on. Nobody is saying they go there to cause trouble....their presence is the problem. They are not being denied being there anyway, just be there with an adult and let River Park be the beautiful place it can be for everyone. Carry on, River Park management. Thank you.
slk
I'm a teen, and as you can suspect, i think this is ridiculous. A 6 PM curfew is way to early for teenagers wanting to get away on a Friday or Saturday night. Some of us work very hard in school and would just like to get away from stress and pressure. Yes, River Park is a place we all "hangout" but why does that matter to you? For all the years I've attended River Park, I have NEVER seen ANYONE create a crime in anyway. Okay, some teens may be loud and obnoxious, but who wasn't growing up? I agree with anonymous when they said "If you can drive a car and see an R rated movie you certainly should be able to shop past 6 pm.". A lot of my friends have just received their licenses and I'm supposed to be getting mine pretty soon. If we're responsible enough to drive cars out on the road, I don't understand why we're not trusted to be out past 6 PM. Not all the teenagers cause a fuss out in River Park, and I don't know why you guys don't discipline THEM, the ones who actually do something "wrong". Who knows if you guys will ignore all the teenage comments, but incase you don't, what happened to freedom of speech?
This rule makes very little sense to me. Yes, I get that River Park is full of teenagers on the weekends. What exactly is it getting at, however, featuring a fantastic movie theatre, plenty of restaurants, book stores, popular stores, and... a Starbucks? I am in my 20s and there are other places that I can go to have fun if I want to avoid teenagers altogether. My point is, let kids hang out at the movies on a Friday night for Christ's sake. Do you even want to know what they'd resort to if banned from River Park?
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