When I arrived at the West Hartford Town Hall for the MDC public hearing regarding the potential closing of the Reservoir, all doors to the auditorium were locked except for those at the side of the building facing the main street. Even the balcony was blocked. (They must have a fetish for locking stuff up there because even the trash bin indoors had a lock on it.)

Despite the auditorium being filled to capacity early, a crowd still gathered at the front of the building; those who waited eventually made it inside as people trickled out.

By the time I was in, the MDC had already spoken but I was able to catch most of the public comment. Here is a summary of different points and arguments that people presented:

  • the Reservoir is a safe place for people to exercise
  • those who require exercise as part of a rehab requirement find the convenience and environment helpful to them; alternatives like gyms or locations farther away might discourage their exercise
  • high school students use area for athletic training
  • closing the Reservoir would have a negative economic impact
  • the lawsuit was an anomaly; most users of the site are not filing lawsuits. MDC should not allow a legal anomaly to shape its policies.
  • having users sign waivers is an alternative to closing the facilities
  • the Reservoir — not Blue Back Square — is the “jewel” of West Hartford
  • the alternative presented for joggers (jogging in the street) is far more dangerous than doing so at the Reservoir
  • the Reservoir presents a safe and quiet “urban oasis” for people to be away from motorized traffic
  • Blonski should have had to pay the MDC for damages to its gate when she hit it
  • a number of politicians support the legislation to close the loophole that allowed for this lawsuit to be possible; contrary to what one speaker said, not all of these politicians are up for reelection this year.
  • many speakers have grown up using the Reservoir, continue to, and are now bringing their children to the site
  • the benefits of the Reservoir outweigh the risks
  • paying for guards to monitor the MDC entrances (if the site closes) will be more expensive than keeping the property open to the public.

Support for keeping the MDC open came from beyond West Hartford and beyond just the mountain bikers. Several speakers came from more distant places, including Fairfield County, to show their support. People supporting the continued use of this land currently use it for jogging, walking, running, cross-country skiing, biking, snowshoeing, and more.

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