Owning a property presents a number of challenges, especially when the property contains something that the public relies on.

So what do you do when there is a public park on your property and you have the responsibility – and liability – that comes with it? Do you continue to maintain the property for the benefit of the children, or do you give the space back?

In the following story, a new landowner faces exactly this dilemma. Here are the details.

I bought a property, including a house on a corner lot across from a school.

On the property that I also inherited there is a “public” park.

As far as I know, this park has been open to the public for several decades.

I don’t know much about it since I’m relatively new to this city.

It is one of three parks and due to its proximity to a primary school it is naturally heavily used.

My lawyer says it is an “easement,” meaning the public is free to use it out of habit/tradition, but the responsibility remains with me.

I assume the previous owner maintained it with some help from the city through the mayor’s office and volunteers.

The previous owner was a developer/philanthropist who did a lot in the small town.

For this reason, he does not like the idea of ​​keeping the park.

I don’t like that because it makes me liable.

I asked the mayor’s office if they would like to hire surveyors to redraw the property lines and deem the property public property instead of mine, at no cost, and they said no.

They don’t want to take on the liability or the expense of hiring employees and lawyers to make this happen.

Putting up signs or fences hasn’t really helped, so I want to rip it all out and just turn it into grass.

Previously, when I was putting up signs, some parents of students at the school started a petition to “save their park,” not knowing that it is privately owned and not part of the city’s public space.

Attempts to reason with some of them fell on deaf ears.

WIBTA?

Yuck. Both sides have valid arguments. On the one hand, the children need parks, on the other hand, nobody wants to take on additional responsibility.

Let’s see what people on Reddit had to say about it.

This is a great idea and could work!

Harsh judgment, but very true!

Hilarious! This person compares her to a Hallmark villain.

In fact, the park did not come into being overnight.

There must be another way.

It’s understandable that you don’t want to take responsibility, but taking a park away from children is just mean.

If you liked this post, check out this one about a guy who got revenge on his apartment owner by making his own rules about Christmas lights.