The Indy Herald & Globe

By Catherine Underwood-Bush

INDEPENDENCE, Ore. — August 26, 2026 — What has been discussed for months in budget meetings, City Council chambers and throughout the community became reality this week as
City of Independence maintenance crews began physically closing the city’s parks.

On August 24 and 25, residents watched city employees installing fencing and barriers, removing amenities and securing areas that, until now, have been everyday gathering places for Independence families.

After crews began fencing Riverview Park on Monday, the City of Independence released a statement announcing the closure effective Monday, August 24th due to insufficient funding, with the closure continuing until further notice.

As crews moved through Independence, the hard truth of what “closing the parks” actually means became clearer. The physical infrastructure that makes these spaces usable is being removed or made inaccessible. Crews fenced off playgrounds, removed picnic tables and swings at some parks. Water was also shut off to the parks. Portable toilets were later removed as well.

Pioneer and Henry Hill Among the Last to Close

Pioneer Park and Henry Hill Park were expected to be the final two parks secured during the closure process. For families accustomed to walking their children to a neighborhood park, these changes will be
difficult to miss. Playgrounds that were open last week are now being fenced off, and familiar amenities have disappeared.

The city’s parks have long provided Independence residents with playgrounds, picnic areas, trails, sports facilities, river access and gathering spaces. Riverview Park alone has been promoted by the city as its largest park and a central location for recreation and community events.

Community Gardens Expected to Remain Accessible—for
Now

There is, however, some encouraging news for residents who have invested months of work into our city’s garden plots. Inspiration Garden and the community garden at Henry Hill will remain accessible for now.

The Master Gardeners who’ve completely rehabilitated the south section of Mt. Fir Park have an agreement with the city that requires 90 days notice of any closure.

Local gardeners have invested considerable time, labor and often their own money into planting and maintaining these plots throughout the growing season. Suddenly cutting off access in late
August could mean losing months of work and food that almost ready to harvest.

The city is looking into grant funding that could help pay for water to continue serving those garden areas. For the people who have spent the spring and summer tending those plots, continued access provides at least some temporary relief while the larger funding issue remains unresolved.

Vandalism Is Already Creating Another Expense

Incidents of vandalism began almost as soon as the parks were fenced off. At the Independence Dog Park, the chain securing the entrance gate was cut, probably sometime on the night of August 24th.

At John Pfaff Park, locals continue to pull the gates aside to regain access to the facility. In three days, this has occurred at least four times. As of Wednesday afternoon, the gates were pulled aside, allowing vehicular and pedestrian access to the parking lot and the green spaces. The city has countered these acts of civil disobedience by wrapping the covered picnic area and play structures with flexible plastic “safety fencing.”

Additional damage was done to the safety fencing at Pioneer Park only hours after city crews emplaced them on Tuesday. Zip ties were cut to gain access to the playground, and someone also sliced through an orange flexible safety fencing to get into to the park’s remaining equipment.

The vandalism adds another headache and layer of costs to the city, which has faced significant community backlash since the fences went up at Riverview Park.

Every chain that is cut has to be replaced. Every section of damaged fencing must be repaired. Cut zip ties and flexible barriers have to be replaced, and employees must spend additional work hours returning to locations they have already secured.

Those materials and employee hours cost the city money it can ill afford while in the midst of a budget crisis, which currently includes an $80,000 general fund deficit.