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

The Oregon park closures, like the pictured Pioneer Park, are expected to save the City of Independence about $41,000 a month - (City of Independence)

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.