Child Steps on Hypodermic Needle at Southwest Medford Park

Medford, Oregon- A 12-year-old participant in a Medford Parks and Recreation summer camp stepped on a hypodermic needle in the grass near the Fichtner-Mainwaring Park sand volleyball courts on Tuesday morning. The child was subsequently taken to the hospital for precautionary tests.

Despite efforts by park maintenance to keep recreational spaces safe and clean, this incident highlights the ongoing challenges posed by drug addiction and associated hazards in parks. Officials say this issue is prevalent not only in Medford but across the country.

“This has been an experience no child should have to go through,” said the child’s parent. “After an afternoon spent in the Emergency Room, we were relieved to find out our daughter tested negative for communicable diseases. However, she will need to be tested again in six weeks and again in four months. We won’t know the results for some time. Our daughter is a healthy and happy almost 7th grader. Until yesterday, she saw the world through rose-colored glasses. It’s devastating to think her future could be impacted by a drug user’s careless actions. We hope that this incident inspires awareness around this important and complicated issue.”

The City’s park maintenance and recreation staff conduct daily visual inspections of playgrounds and active recreation areas to enhance safety for park visitors. However, the task is challenging due to the vastness of Medford’s 2,527-acre park system and high volumes of trash and vandalism.

“We never want to see people injured while visiting our parks or participating in recreation programs,” said Medford Parks and Recreation Director Rich Rosenthal. “We are working closely with the family to ensure they have the resources and assistance they need. This is a particularly concerning situation because of the public health hazard presented by needles and other drug paraphernalia. Along with our Medford police partners, ensuring the safety and well-being of our community is our top priority, and we’re doing what we can to prevent these types of situations.”

Earlier this year, the City conducted a community survey for the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan update process. A key feedback item from the majority of the 1,700 survey respondents was the need for enhanced safety measures in City parks and along the Greenway.