To the Editor:

Something has to be done by our town to assist the state DEEP enforce the parking regulations along Alberts Hill Road. Ever since the state closed or restricted access to our state parks, our forest has been under assault. Paugussett State Forest (Western) on Lake Lillinonah has been overrun by picnickers and campers, the latter of which is forbidden. They park on Alberts Hill even if the lot at the end of Echo Valley has space. A number of the offenders start campfires and cook meals over portable stoves or open fires, when such is prohibited by law. They leave their garbage and empty beverage containers in piles right where they consumed them. Frequently, they leave dirty diapers on or near the various trails they frequent for access to the lake.

There is no supervision of the lake for swimming. No beach. No onsite garbage collection. They arrive with coolers frequently, based on the discarded empties of alcoholic beverages as well as food. They carry in swim tubes and floats. They move the rocks that the state had placed on the side of the road to prevent parking and ignore the No Parking signs placed by the state. Two Sundays in a row I have had to turn around and find another route from my home to my destination because the road was blocked by parked cars.

I recognize these are trying times and many people are out of work and using their unfortunate situation to seek recreation, and with the parks restricted they are gravitating to our wildlife management areas and the state forests. Frankly, I was told that the state had actually recommended people do so when they closed the parks and beaches with the onset of warm weather. Also, unfortunately, the state lacks the resources to supervise or control these crowds. Many of these visitors are new to the area and do not understand how dangerous the ledges and slopes dropping to the lake can be. Unless we get a handle on this situation rapidly I assert there will be numerous injuries and perhaps even worse. As we all know, fire, booze, and swimming can produce some very injurious results.

I have called the Newtown PD several times and each time the dispatcher was aware of the issue and had dispatched officers. That said, the officers were waiting for the DEEP officers who, I was told, are “responsible for that property.”

The illegal parking is on Alberts Hill, which is a town road. The unanswered question I asked was and is: Why, if it is a town road being obstructed, why don’t town police officers enforce our parking regulations thereon? This is a public health and safety question. As such, shouldn’t both state and local enforcement work together to resolve it?

Sincerely,

Lou Reda

17 Tamarack Road, Newtown July 28, 2020