RIVERVIEW, Mo. (AP) - Keeping trespassers out of City Museum founder Bob Cassilly's unfinished amusement park is a challenge, according to Riverview police.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1CDXIgO) reports that Cassilly had planned the site known as Cementland as his next project before dying in a 2011 bulldozer accident at the property.
Riverview police Officer D. Johnson says the 55-acre industrial landscape poses danger to trespassers because it is near an active railway and borders the busy Riverview Drive. He said people have stripped parts for scrap metal, possibly compromising the attractions.
Police and private security say officers who check the former Missouri Portland Cement Co. site still discover groups of people exploring the grounds. A "no trespassing" signs hang in an attempt to ward off unwelcome visitors.
"We try to make it clear that it's unsafe," Johnson said.
Private security was contracted to patrol the area after a fire in August 2014. Security guard Mike Dwyer said he discovered a group of nearly 20 people on the property in February. Dwyer said most people he finds at the site are in their teens or early 20s and live west of St. Louis.
Photos and videos taken inside Cementland continue to crop up online despite the safety issues and warnings.
The future of the amusement park remains uncertain because Cassilly did not leave a will. The property that Cementland sits on is currently being discussed in court. Gerard Nester, a public administrator involved with the probate of the property, said the "unique nature of the assets" has resulted in a lengthy process. He said he'd hoped to resolve the probate earlier this year.
Nearby resident Mike Sack called the property "unsightly." He said he worries about the safety of those exploring the site and that he wishes someone would get rid of the attraction.
"Cementland died when Cassilly died," Sack said.