The Auburn Recreation District Board accepted 26 acres and $50,000 from the Shockley Trust but is not putting any effort into maintaining or upgrading the park.

I have walked the park and am horrified to see that someone is camping in a tent on the property. Also, junk is accumulating which includes a sofa, mattress, bottles and other trash.

Bikers are digging in the dirt to create their bumpy trails. The fire marshal declared the area a “tinder box” and that condition remains.

I would think that the neighbors would be alarmed about what is happening in this new park.

In some cities, neighbors have formed an association to fund the upkeep of their park.

No one likes an additional fee but the choice was to have a park or to see the property developed.

ARD needs to take responsibility for remediating the park or disposing of it if the expense is too great.

Maybe naming the park after William Shockley would be sweet revenge. ARD decided to “kick the can down the road” and not put up a sign in the “near future” honoring this racist man.

I’m sure that Shockley would be outraged at the thought of homeless people hanging out in his park.

Karen Tajbl, Auburn