What is wrong with the parks department?

I just read the following article and could only shake my head as it's another example of the department of parks really poor judgement. The article is followed by some comparison photos of the area where the kids were forced to have their picnic and the activities that normally occur in that spot.

Parks Dept Sends Kids to Contaminated Area of Juniper Valley Park to Picnic
5/17/2007 1:59:00 PM

by Robert F. Holden

This photo was taken at 12noon today at Juniper Valley Park.

Many schools have been having field days at the park.

At about 10am caution tape was wrapped around trees by the Parks Department in the area "designated" for unleashed dogs.

Bus loads of small children started to arrive and blankets were spread throughout the off-leash dog area.

Children started to roll around, play soccer and wrestle on the grass.

Virginia Adams, the supervisor of the children, was asked about the event. She said there were about 300 children from PS 89 in Elmhurst who were part of multilingual classes at the school.

She was asked who designated this space for their picnic. She replied that it was the NYC Parks Department. When told that this was a semi-fenced in dog walking area and therefore not a good place for children to be playing, rolling around in the grass or eating lunch, Mrs. Adams said that she was disgusted and would bring this up to Parks.

It was then that a Mexican band arrived to entertain the children.