Katy resident Barbara White contacted the Katy Times in January to report concerns about safety at the playground at county-operated Mary Jo Peckham Park in Katy. White sent photos showing to publisher Susan Rovegno, depicting damaged pavement and describing broken equipment – conditions which she said that she had observed since September of 2023. “I think you need to look at the playground at the park,” said White in the email. “It is very dangerous for the children. I sincerely hope no one gets hurt there.”

Rovegno contacted Harris County Precinct 4 on White’s behalf to share the constituent’s concerns. However, the matter remained unaddressed at that time. White provided updated photos to the Katy Times again in March -- these taken on March 15 -- which showed that the deteriorating conditions remained unchanged. “My daughter takes the grandsons and doesn’t let them play where the pictures were taken,” White said in that email. “I met them Friday and saw things seem to have gotten worse since my last pictures.”

The Katy Times again reached out to Briones’ office and on March 22 received a response from Syan Rhodes, press secretary for Harris County Precinct 4. Rhodes responded that the safety concerns were being addressed and that areas where damage had occurred were now cordoned off. Repairs will be started as soon as the necessary materials are received, Rhodes said in a telephone interview, stating that the county was allocating “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to the project.

“Public safety is our top priority, and we have been working to rectify this as quickly as possible,” Rhodes said in a follow-up email to the Times. “We are thankful that no injuries have been reported at this time and greatly appreciate our constituents bringing this to our attention and holding us accountable.”

She confirmed that park employees do walk the park daily, checking for safety issues.

Mary Jo Peckham Park, located at 5597 Gardenia Lane in Katy near Franz Road and Avenue D, is a 32-acre green space operated by Harris County, featuring basketball courts, an aquatic and fitness center, a putting green, a miniature golf course, a playground, a reservable pavilion, a gazebo, a fishing lake, exercise stations, and a six-hole disc golf course, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 website.