Trailer park residents upset over relocation plan

Residents of a northeast trailer park heard Tuesday they will have to move out because the property's crumbling infrastructure is too costly to fix.

Midfield Mobile Home Park on 16th Avenue N.E. will officially close by the summer of 2012 because the property's 40-year-oldsewer and watermains have reached the end of their life cycle, the city said.

"The infrastructure is failing," said Ald. Ric McIver, who first asked council to develop a long-term plan for relocating the trailer park. In 2006 city engineerspegged the cost of replacing the pipes at $10 million.

Longtime residents don't want to leave

But according to Cook Gordon, who has lived in the park for almost three decades, the plan to move the trailers is unfair and unnecessary.

"It's just not right. I don't think they're playing fair," she said, adding that residents pay $525 per month to the city. "Where's all the money going? If the infrastructure needs fixing, fix it."

The city has purchased land farther north on 84th Street N.E., where it plans to develop a new trailer park by the spring of 2012. Residents who want to move their trailers to the new location will be eligible for subsidies, according to the city.

Simon Camus and his wife have lived in the park for 20 years, in a home overlooking two golf courses. He said he will miss the convenience ofMidfield Park.

"It's close to my doctor, it's close to Co-op, it's close to all the stores," he said.