For over a decade, Westcrest Park, located in the Highland Park neighborhood, has been known to host a variety of illegal activities.

Widely known as a site for anonymous sexual meet-ups, trails along the northwest side of the park have been subject to indecent exposure, according to police, city officials and local community members.

“It’s really a shame because we are so blessed to have those old growth trails through that park and nobody uses it because they’re afraid of what they might stumble onto,” said Dan Mullins, president of the Highland Park Action Committee.

While the illegal activity has been going on for years, community members are now trying to reclaim their local park so that families feel more comfortable gathering there.

The Highland Park Action Committee has organized groups of local residents to take random walks through the park. By activating the area, the neighbors hope to deter behavior that is keeping parents from bringing their children to a new play area just next to the trails.

“It’s definitely something neighbors are aware of and would like to do something about, but it’s hard to get organized,” said Mullins. “People feel the police should take care of it.”

Officer Topacio, of the Southwest Precinct, has also been assigned to the park and regularly walks through the trails to establish a police presence. But he encouraged community members to use the park as often as possible.

The Seattle Parks Department is also aware of the problem at Westcrest Park. Dewey Potter, public information manager for parks, said the department has tried to deter illegal activity by clearing brush and landscaping the park. But as local resident Larry Ruda pointed out, it would be difficult to make all areas of the 60-acre park visible.

Most agree that the best way to deter the inappropriate activity is to activate the area. Ruda has suggested that a new activity be organized in the area, such as mountain biking.

Oddly, the area of most concern is located directly next to Seattle Police horse stables. Ruda also said that if the horses were walked through the trails more often, that too, could deter illegal activity.

Years ago, indecent exposure was a problem on the opposite side of the park. But after a popular off-leash dog park was established, the activity concluded.

“The more people you can be there the more it drives out illegal activity,” said Seattle City Council member Jan Drago, who supported the dog park. “But (Watercrest Park) park is a bigger park so it does present more of a challenge.”

Just north of the trails in question a new parks project on the Watercrest reservoir, funded by the latest Parks and Green Spaces Levy, could bring more visitors to the park. Still, Mullins said that has yet to be seen.

“The park has amazing walking and hiking trails, it’s almost like being in the woods while you’re in the city, that’s what makes it an amazing park,” said Mullins. “People would use it a lot more often if they knew it was safe and clean.”