This time last year, our governor's son, Joe Burgum, purchased the abandoned Sahr's Sudden Sudden Service gas station with the intention of turning it into a park. Shocked by the idea of a non-profit property located downtown under the Burgum name, I was skeptical.

What first occurred to me was that this might've been a clever way to hold a property under the guise of a tax-incentivized park until surrounding properties could be purchased. This probably wasn't, but the logistics of a cracked concrete, rusty nail fostering, liquor store crosswise "park" escaped me.

However, there seemed to be an honest effort put forth as, I guess you would call them, benches made of pallets were installed, a few potted flowers were placed, and some guy played guitar to a few people at least once. The benches might've become soggy and un-sittable after their first rain, the potted flowers may have died or been knocked over soon following, and shooters of Fireball and other liquors definitely reclaimed the lot within a few days (nature finds a way and all that), but it was an attempt.

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During the winter, actually, there was an ice fountain that, when working properly, was something to admire when walking home, drunk from the bars. However, these efforts seemed to have been ditched as the park is now barren.

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It is approaching the middle of summer and nothing has happened. There are no benches this year, the ice fountain is still up as are its laminated, now weather-faded signs. No flowers. No events. Nothing. Yet, this is still allowed to be called a park?

I do not care what is done with this property, but please do not insult me by calling it something it is not. When someone says, "I'm bringing my kids to the park," do images of an abandoned gas station with nowhere to sit fill your head? Do you picture the diviest liquor store in Fargo as the backdrop to a father and son trading perfect spirals? Do you picture emptiness?

This "park" has become a joke among my friend group and I'm sure I'm not alone. Please, either turn this into a park or stop offending my sensibilities.

Nerpel lives in Fargo.