DOVER, DE- A potential pop-up park in Dover's Crossgates neighborhood is drawing strong reactions from neighbors, with opinions divided over safety concerns and the need for more play spaces for children.
Last week, Dover City Council members Donyale Hall and Brian Lewis held a community meeting to discuss the proposed pop-up park, inviting neighbors to share their opinions on the project.
The city's 2026 budget included $40,000 for a small playground in the area, prompting Hall and Lewis to seek feedback on the idea and the location.
In March, Second District Council member Brian Lewis installed a "Little Free Library" in the Crossgates neighborhood. After the installation, he says neighbors approached him about adding a park.
However, at the Aug. 20 meeting, many neighbors opposed the project, raising safety concerns about having a park in their neighborhood.
Mary Horres, who has lived in the Crossgates neighborhood for 20 years, says the park is the wrong choice for the area.
"This is just not the place to put this. It's just not safe. Safety is the issue for sure."
Horres adds that she is prepared to take action if the city moves forward with the plan.
"If they go forward with the plan, I will be lying on the ground in front of the bulldozer. I'm not going for it. No way."
Anne Rider, a resident of the neighborhood for 50 years, says she worries the park, which would be located at the front of the neighborhood, could attract unwanted activity.
"It would draw crime, people that are just wandering the neighborhood that are always on New Burton Road."
Opponents also raised concerns about a creek running through the property, saying it makes the proposed park—which Councilman Lewis says would be designed for toddlers—particularly risky.
Rider says the creek often floods and is easily accessible, posing a danger to young children playing nearby.
"This park is a bad location for a park due to the proximity of the water. We have a creek that floods here regularly."
City Councilman Brian Lewis says the park is intended to give local children a safe place to play in an area with few options, while also providing a nearby space for caregivers.
"It was more or less going to be an option for stay-at-home moms, grandparents who watch their children's children to get out of the house."
And while some neighbors oppose the project, others support the park, saying it would benefit local families.
Lynn McGinnis, a Crossgates resident who helps care for her great-grandchildren, says the park is needed for families with young children in the area.
"We are getting a lot more kids, and I think we need it because the kids need some place to go."
City leaders say alternative sites, including Mayfair Park, are also being considered. A survey on the park will remain open to neighbors until Aug. 30, and responses will help officials decide on next steps.