MACON, Ga. — Jackson Springs Park in the Historic Shirley Hills District is known for its wooded terrain and trails that connect with the Ocmulgee River.
It's filled with stone bridges and benches, a mossy creek, which makes for a beautiful walking trail for neighbors like Bob Harden.
"We have a lovely park for everybody," Harden said. "I'm a little territorial about it because I used to own all of this land, so I want it to be nice. I want it to be a welcoming place for everyone to come."
The five acres of land was once an extension of Harden's property, which he restored through the mid-2000's.
Before that, the land belonged to Dr. William Green Lee, a founder of the American Camellia Society and the namesake for the park's camellia garden.
In 2008, Harden began negotiations with the city to donate the land to become the green space it is today.
"We worked with the Department of Natural Resources and other legal groups so it could become a park and always remain a park," Harden said. "Parks and Beautification has been wonderfully involved in maintaining the park, creating enhancements, adding amenities."
But over the past few weeks, he's stumbled upon more than just fallen petals from the camellia bushes along the trail.
Harden's frequent walks normally include picking up the occasional food wrapper or soda bottle.
But over the past couple of months, he's started an involuntary collection of discarded needles.
"All of a sudden, something has changed in the dynamic of who comes to these parks, especially in the hours after dusk," Harden said. "It scares me that we've got oftentimes children down here and there are used syringes on the trails and adjacent trails. It's a little scary to me as a parent."
Harden says he's recently vehicles drive through the walking trail where they are not permitted.
He says he reported it to the Sheriff's Office and Parks and Beautification earlier this week, but he says he's yet hear back.
"I really wanted to talk to them about the opportunity to maybe have some greater patrols, unfortunately, once again, no one ever showed up," Harden said.
Harden says he hopes more people will come and enjoy green spaces like Jackson springs Park.
He says he hopes to continue working with the county to keep the park a clean and safe place to be.
"You'd like to enjoy it in a safe way. Don't drive motorized vehicles on park trails, don't come in the middle of the night for some nefarious purpose, and don't come to the parks and do drugs," Harden said. "It sets up, for children especially, a potentially unsafe condition."