It’s amazing what the removal of 200,000 pounds of trash can do for an area. That’s how much has been hauled away from the Nur Pon Open Space along the river off Henderson Road. Cleanup was done by Shasta County Probation and the Sheriff’s Alternative Custody Program, along with several volunteer groups. The 40 acres of city owned property had been occupied by a fairly large homeless population until they were ordered to vacate the premises by Redding Police. Housing assistance was offered with the help of some non-profit and government agencies, and eleven of the former Nur Pon residents have already received housing. Nur Pon is now a beautiful part of the Redding parks system, with over a mile and a half of trails, footbridges, lovely views, a kayak launch, a restroom and a fish channel. It’s also a place where good dogs are allowed to be off leash. It’ll be open from dawn to dusk, with perimeter fencing closed overnight. A Redding Police Park Ranger will patrol the area to keep it safe for families. The grand re-introduction of the Nur Pon Open Space to the people of Redding will be next Tuesday. A number of activities will be hosted there in the coming weeks.