The ongoing controversy regarding Armstrong Park has reared its head yet again, following the discovery of a murdered woman who was found in the bushes near the abandoned Municipal Auditorium. The victim was a German national, 47 years old—another tragedy to add to the tarnished reputation of the park.

The park has been a political football for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always tried to figure out why such a precious jewel as an urban park has remained—for the most part—deserted.

I figure that the location of the park, which displaced so many long-time Treme homeowners when it was first constructed, has made the park a bitter feuding ground for neighborhood residents who still resent the fact that not only was it constructed while their homes were razed, but a fence was placed around the park, with locked gates, ostensibly to keep out neighborhood “riff-raff.” I’ve heard a lot of racist overtones in meetings I’ve attended on both sides of that proverbial fence over the years.

For years, I’ve been told not to go into Armstrong Park because it’s highly dangerous. Another tourist was attacked and murdered some 20 years ago, and the city never forgot. So with this new tragedy, the reputation of the park continues to fester.

Solving the park’s reputation for crime isn’t rocket science. Put more people in the park and on North Rampart Street, create foot traffic, and the park will be safer.

At a minimum, get Parks and Parkways to clean and maintain the park.

To get the park functional, open to the public and safe, a few crucial things need to happen:

1. The fences should come down. The park should be open to everyone.

2. If the fences can’t come down, then the gates should be open, so everyone can have access.

3. The park needs to have a constant presence of people, either via Parks and Parkways personnel, the National Park Service, or even by setting up an information kiosk at the main entrance and inside the park. Where there are eyes, there’s less crime. That’s just common sense.

4. Armstrong Park and the environs needs be patrolled after dark by NOPD personnel.

5. There’s a need for more events, music and daytime traffic on North Rampart Street. Entertainment venues devoted to jazz would be the best solution for development.

6. The Municipal Auditorium needs to be put back into use.

7. An area in the park should be set aside for families and children’s activities. This is sorely needed near the French Quarter.

8. There could be a public- private partnership for management of the park. Just look at what’s been done with City Park and Audubon Park.

9. Mahalia Jackson Performing Arts Center should consider partnering with the city to manage the park.

10. Create a board and executive director to manage the park.

We need Armstrong Park to be safe and user-friendly for all.