Councilwoman Leslie Knope vows to remove fence after child injured at disputed Pawnee–Eagleton boundary

Councilwoman Leslie Knope told residents at a public forum that she will "tear down that fence" between Pawnee and Eagleton parks after a mother said her son was injured while trying to scale the barrier.

The exchange began when a resident (speaker 8) said her son, Joey, "tried to scale that fence to play on the Eagleton side, and he fell and hurt his arm." Leslie Knope responded directly to the account and pledged to remove the fence to restore safe, equitable access to the park.

Other residents offered competing views. Bertram Rollins, who identified himself as "a citizen of Eagleton" (speaker 4), asked whether Pawnee should instead clean up its side of the park and install new equipment. Christine Porter (speaker 27) said she favored the fence, describing it as "a kind of punishment for Pawnee that might inspire your town to clean up its act."

Knope framed the issue as one of children's access and safety: she told the forum she would act to remove barriers that prevent kids from playing in public parks. The meeting included repeated appeals from residents who said park access and child safety should not depend on neighborhood wealth or status.

No formal motion or vote to remove the fence was recorded during the forum. Knope's statement is a pledge of intent made in the public meeting; staff or the council will need to follow standard procedures for property changes and any work that affects a boundary shared with Eagleton.