SANFORD, Fla. — Fort Mellon Park in downtown Sanford is about to get safer for families, Channel 9 has learned.
Officials said traffic is increasing around the park, and so are speeding drivers, so they're going to do what they can to keep parkgoers safe.
Within 10 minutes of Channel 9's Bianca Castro being at the park, a child darted for the road, with his caretaker grabbing him just before he reached the roadway.
"My heart was beating fast. I was scared, because I thought a car was going to hit him," said day care worker Pam Bryant.
The city plans to spend up to $30,000 on more stop signs and raised crosswalks.
But that's not enough, according to some.
"There need to something like a gate or something that can close (children) in," said day care worker Earnesciene Rouse.
The mother of a 3-year-old who was struck and killed at the park three years ago told Channel 9 she's been asking for better safety measures ever since.
"I hope that they would think about the kids, because even though mine is not here, use mine as an example, because when they're gone, they're gone," said Nanette Watkins, whose son would have been 7 this year.
Residents said they'd rather see a fence around the park, which is something that's not in the immediate plans, officials said.
A commissioner who talked with Castro said he would bring up the incident about the little boy who darted for the road in the next meeting.
WFTV
