SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Walmart is responding to Springfield residents who complained that its failure to address issues behind the store on Olympic Street has been causing problems in the neighborhood.

Neighbors who live on 28th Street and L Street said a gate behind the store frequently gets smashed and speeding is also a problem. They said there are at least 15 elementary-aged children who live in the area, and they don’t want to wait until one of them gets hurt for something to be done.

They said that for over a year, residents have been trying to get Walmart to take responsibility.

However, Walmart said it is taking steps to respond to the neighbor complaints. “Walmart shares the community’s concerns," said a Walmart spokesperson. "We have been in communication with our neighbors and law enforcement to determine the best way to address these issues. Boulders have been installed around the gate to deter vehicles from driving on the grass and a new gate has been expedited.”

David Phillips said he was worried his children could get hurt or worse if nothing was done. "Typically there's trash and needles and garbage and crap everywhere," he said. "The issue is safety for the kids. I can't even let my kids play out in the front yard or the front of the street at the dead end of our street because we're in fear that a car's just going to plow through this gate and run them over."

Marcy Grisham babysits her grandchildren on the street, and said Walmart's failure to respond quickly has been a problem. "Walmart has attempted to fix the gate, but it's like putting tape over a hole in the wall -- it just doesn't cut it," she said. "Walmart just hasn't been a real good neighbor... and we love it because it's convenient and we like their product, but they need to be a little more socially conscious."