Pond in my park = liability?

Hello everyone,I hope everyone is having a great holiday season. I purchased a mobile home park last year and there is a very large pond in the park on my property. The previous owner has a rickity, make-shift fence around it. He told me that once a year he lets the tenants go fishing in the pond. He also told me that there is a valve I could open that would drain the pond. My concern is that this pond is a huge liability. It’s not secure and to me is an accident waiting to happen. Two town inspectors also made comments about the pond, one saying “I can’t believe they don’t make you put a fence around that thing”.Frank - I think I have seen on here that you close or lock any park you buy that has a storm shelter because of the liability they bring. I feel this pond falls into that same category. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance!

Mike, a pond is a huge liability and lawsuit waiting to happen.If you are able to drain the pond using the valve, I would certainly drain it immediately.If you are not able to drain the pond, you will need to put up a new, sturdy fence immediately (chain link to be able to see through).We wish you the very best!

We have large “ponds” (or small lakes) in at least one property, and I question that you are required to fence it. For the most accurate information on this being a liability just waiting to happen, I would call Kurt Kelley at Mobile Insurance and ask him – he decides all such issues for us.But I would note that ponds and small lakes are frequent parts of city parks, and are never fenced. A pool is fenced because there are sheer walls that, if you fall in, you can’t get out of, and the bottom is very deep. Most ponds and lakes start out very shallow, and you have to really work it to get to a level in which you can’t touch bottom. Unless you get in over your head, you can simply walk out of them. But call Kurt – he’ll know the answer.