Smartphone app helps residents report problems at parks
West El Paso resident Dominic Bowcutt sits next to his toddler daughter and holds her hand as they slip down the slide at Mission Hills Park.
Bowcutt keeps his eye on her, as well as the park itself.
“Here at the park sometimes, these canopies will get blown down by the wind,” he said, referring to the shade structure standing high above the playground. “A few days ago, the canopy was down.
“But I wouldn’t know who to call (to fix it),” Bowcutt continued. “I’ve always wondered, who tells the city to fix those things?”
The city’s answer: You, thanks to the Mobile Citizen app.
“Mobile Citizen is just a vehicle for you to be able to register an issue dealing with our parks,” said Steven Lunsford, Park Maintenance Superintendent for the city.
The free smartphone app allows residents to file a work order directly with the city.
The app includes a camera and photo gallery access, which lets users take a picture of the issue and submit it with the report for crews to know exactly what to look for when they are dispatched.
Lunsford told ABC-7 they address residents’ concerns on a daily basis, and immediately.
“We address everything as soon as we get the (reports),” he said. “We try to get to everything within 48 hours.”
Lunsford said crews get reports from the app, which has been in use by the city for a little more than a year, a couple of times a week. He said it’s a big help for them to maintain our parks.
“Although we try to get to all our parks once a week, we can’t be everywhere at the 250-plus parks,” said Lunsford. “It’s the eyes and ears that we count on to keep us safe and maintain our parks.”
Bowcutt told ABC-7 that he’s happy to help, especially if the end result keeps a smile on his daughter’s face.
“It’s a good idea. Anything that makes it faster more convenient,” he said.
The app is free and available for download through Apple iTunes or Google Play for Android.
You can also use a non-smartphone to report problems at parks, by calling 915-212-0092 or 915-212-8017.
