Barrington Recreation Center Squatters Raising Ire of Residents

The parking lot at the Barrington Recreation Center has turned into a trailer park for more than two years, according to Brentwood residents, and the city is carefully looking into how the handle dealing with the alleged squatters.

On Monday four campers and a military truck occupied spaces in the parking lot while couples strolled the park and parents and coaches came to use the baseball field.

One resident heading to the nearby Barrington Station Post Office said the campers have occupied the spaces at all hours and nothing's been done to remove the vehicles. Post office employees also confirmed with Patch the trailers have been a nuisance for a long time.

Signage states city municipal code allows for a four hour parking maximum in the lot and is closed from 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Brentwood Community Council President Nancy Freedman confirmed the Department of Veterans Affairs, the City Council District 11 Office, the BCC and the Brentwood Homeowners Association are working together on the issue, noting it's been going on "a long time."

Freedman noted the VA feels some of the squatters may be veterans, but added some residents have reported "being spooked" by the people living in the trailers while going to the nearby dog park, and added they never leave the parking lot.

Here's some feedback about the trailers from our Facebook page:

This is nothing new. These folks have been here for the past two and a half years. The parking enforcement does nothing. I am pretty sure they have no where to go. Can you imagine what it would cost to tank up those old pieces of junk? There is one that is a retired military transport truck that I think someone lives in. It's a disaster up here - Jason A. La Marca

I would be happy to contact the right person. Daily! Who might that be? - Lisa Reingold

What are your thoughts on this issue?

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