I'll bet you a dollar that the folks who don't see a problem with it are just the kind of people who would do such a thing.

I think I would have removed the signs and plastic table cloths, then claim “the tables had nothing on them when I arrived, soooooo….”

Reminds me of that time I took a cruise. There are signs posted everywhere that reserving chairs is not allowed and yet people would go throw their towels or flip flops on the chairs and then leave and go to breakfast. There aren't enough chairs around the pool to accommodate everyone and it would just p**s me off. Or one person would be sitting by 6 or more empty chairs and if you tried to take one they would say they are taken, but we would stand there 20 or more mins and those people had not shown up yet. I'm sorry no, that's not how it works. Totally infuriating.

6 hours?! Six whole hours? Come on now! It would be different if they were paid reservations but this is 1st come 1st serve. Its quite rude.

Entitled bullsh!t. You don't get to reserve a public bench, end of discussion.

Plenty of families have gatherings in the parks near me. They bring all their own chairs, blankets, even folding tables, find an open spot big enough and have their event. I have never seen someone try to claim a public bench or table with a stupid note. We do have parks here that have reservable areas (for a fee). When you break rules or generally accepted etiquette in public places you are inviting in-kind pettiness. I wouldn't run that risk at my kids event. Bad form.

I held my kid's birthday party at a local park. We had set up at a gazebo and where there for about an hour? Then a woman approached and said that they had actually reserved the tables (which I thought you could do but I wasn't sure and never confirmed). So I apologized and gathered our things to a different table. That easy, she totally understood because there wasn't a sign put up (she expected one but I guess the people who work at the park, it's a big park, didn't put one up), but no hard feeling. People can work things out. Women can talk without becoming Karens lol (｡◕‿◕｡)

I don't really care either way, but it does seem like a very strange thing to do... surely if you want to ensure a reservation you'd go to somewhere where that's a thing

Even if i didn't need a table that day, that's the one I'd be using. I went to a park at 7 am to hold 2 tables for my sons' birthday party when they turned 1 and 2. Just like the park in this article, no reservations. If you want a table you go early and hold it. I can picture the Karen hair on the author of this note. I would guess she also "knows someone at the parks department". Snort.

Who's to say that another child, say a four year old was having a birthday and his family called to reserve a space and were told not needed. Let's say the family gets there and those tables are the only available but NOOOOO bc THOSE tables are reserved. So who would be ruining what? First come first served.

Seems like they're teaching their offspring that if you demand your way, you'll get what you want. I'm sure this isn't the first, nor will it be the last time that these people will demand and expect others to give them their way. Good luck with that!

These benches are on public property and ARE public property themselves. Don't try to earmark public property for private use. That's just wrong on so many levels. If you have to have a private party, I am certain numerous kid friendly family dining establishments can accomodate you. Doesn't Chuck E. Cheese and Mcdonald's do these anymore? This sort of insanity comes from the same bunch who tried to cordon off public beaches for their private use. That didn't fly either.

Having been a parent who paid to reserve public space, it had official signs and staff waiting for us, they provide the entertainment, they started the show believing the people that walked in and sat down in the space, a roped off area, were here for the party that was booked and were just really early, we also arrived early and thought they had booked back to back parties, what a mess! The one thing people don't respect is signs! People who we informed that there was an issue with capacity became rude and aggressive with the staff, who were gently explaining the situation to them.