BUFFALO, N.Y. — ATVs and dirt bikes traveling at high speed and large disruptive parties: neighbors near Front Park in Buffalo say these problems have been going on all summer long, with no resolution amid the pandemic.
One Channel 2 viewer shared with us video of an ATV operator and a passenger speeding through Front Park on Buffalo's West Side.
ATVs and dirt bikes are illegal in the city.
Jose Palma, who says he shot this video, lives nearby and says this has been going on all summer.
"It's a real issue that we're having here, and we've reached out for weeks to City Hall, to local elected officials, to the parks department, and they just aren't doing anything," he said.
Palma says not only have ATVs and dirt bikes shown up, but also large gatherings, clearly in violation of the state's orders on congregating and social distancing.
"They're congregating in the park several hundred people, several hundreds cars. We only have one entrance to the park, it's not being blocked off, and obviously there are the quality of life issue with the booming sound system and the cars," Palma said.
Buffalo Police say they're aware of vehicles such as ATVs and dirt bikes operating across the city, including the West Side.
"We have seen over the last couple of weekends some ATV activity down at Front Park as well as LaSalle Park. Again, it's something that our patrols are aware of and we attempt to disperse to even get started," Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo said.
But, according to the video, the congregating appears to go well into the night.
"It's incredibly frustrating it does determine whether wants to continue living in this community," Palma said.
Palma added: "I am considering moving out. If this is the trend that we're heading toward, then this is not where my 3-month-old and my 14-month-old are going to be raised."
Buffalo Police say they were able to crackdown on ATV and dirt bike operators from gathering at McCarthy Park on Sunday.
Residents would like to see that happen here at Front Park.
We're still waiting to hear back from police on whether they plan to step up patrols here.