From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Aug. 16, 1988:

• Several people living in the area around Burcham Park were feeling a bit unsafe at night. Neighbors of the 23-acre city park were telling city officials that due to the park’s secluded location along the Kansas River, it was attracting “seedy characters” and drug users. Teenage alcohol abuse, vandalism, late-night parties, and occasional violence were among the problems listed on a Pinckney Neighborhood Association survey. Residents this week were requesting the city to install a security gate at the park entrance and to lock it after hours.
• East Lawrence residents, meanwhile, were speaking to the city about the proposed parking plans for the new riverfront retail project. People living in the area near the planned shopping complex were urging the city to tighten the footprint of the parking structure so it would not intrude as much on their neighborhood. Neighbors were concerned that the project would entail the removal of many older trees and possibly harm the quiet residential nature of the area.