Portland copes by child-proofing

Part of public realm is off limits for intended purpose

A gated church, a park without benches, mezzanine off limits and restroom bolted--all for security reasons.

We’ve been “child-proofing” our city for quite a few years, and it doesn’t look like our subjects will grow out of it. I don’t mean literal child-proofing, in which breakable or dangerous objects are moved to higher shelves until the toddler in the midst learns the meaning of no.

I refer to the measures we must take to protect people and property from vandalism, crime, trash and unspeakable bad behavior in the public realm. We’ve been making special accommodations so long we may assume libraries must be day centers for the dispossessed, benches must be removed from parks lest they be taken over by bands of scary people and public restrooms must be barricaded or be trashed beyond recognition.

Stadium Fred Meyer built an appealing mezzanine overlooking West Burnside Street, but it has been closed to the public for years after some treated it like their living room requiring full-time monitoring by staff.

Families tolerate ungovernable tendencies in their young for a time, but the goal is always inculcated independent, responsible behavior. Portland has deemed a significant sector of the population beyond any accountability, while the rest of us are on our own to limit the harm as best we can. Have we become too accustomed to accepting too much disorder?

As more than one parent has said from time to time, “That’s why we can’t have a nice house.”