Oregon town is so broke that it shut down all of its parks to save a buck

An Oregon city is so strapped for cash that it has fenced off all its public parks and is shutting down its museums, and potentially its library, to cut costs.

Independence, about 12 miles southwest of Salem, began closing its city parks Monday, starting with the city’s largest green space, Riverview Park. The city shared photos on social media showing metal barricades and signs citing “insufficient funding” at several sites. Closures will continue throughout the week as staff secure each park, according to the city’s website.

The park closures are expected to save Independence about $41,000 a month, according to KOIN. But the cuts have frustrated residents, particularly families who rely on the parks as places to get outside and spend time together and for children to play.

“I think closing parks, which is a way for our kids to get out and spend quality time with family and get energy out rather than staying at home on computers, is quite devastating,” Independence parent John Weatherall, who typically takes his four boys to the park, told KOIN.

Effective Wednesday, Independence is also closing its Heritage Museum indefinitely amid the funding crisis. The public library remains open for now but could also close. City officials say the closures were a last resort after years of financial challenges.

In June, the Independence City Council approved a new fee intended to generate money for the city's parks, library and museum. The fee would have increased the average household's costs by a net $12.50 a month, according to KOIN.

But residents gathered enough signatures to put a referendum on the November ballot that could overturn the fee. The fee is currently on hold, leaving the city without the revenue it had expected to use to fund the community services.

Mayor Kate Schwarzler defended the cuts, saying city officials have warned residents about the financial problems for years.

“Seeing Riverview Park closed is painful. I understand why people are angry—and why some feel blindsided. But this did not happen overnight, and it did not happen because the City failed to examine its budget,” Schwarzler wrote in a Facebook post, linking to a longer explanation of the closures.

“Since 2023, 11 positions have been eliminated or left vacant, services have been reduced and numerous alternatives have been considered,” she added.

Residents have questioned whether volunteers could help maintain the parks and allow them to remain open. But city officials said relying on volunteers would create liability concerns, KOIN reports.

The parks are expected to remain closed for months as officials await the November referendum, which could restore the funding needed to reopen them and other city services.