Community Corner

State Yet to Respond to Concerns About Wadsworth Falls State Park

State officials have yet to respond publicly to concerns raised this week by neighbors over the condition of Wadsworth Falls State Park.

On Monday, Patch reported that 77 visitors to the park's large waterfall on Cherry Hill Road in Middlefield had been slapped with a $92 fine for parking illegally over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The tickets were handed out by police amid complaints from neighbors that the park's condition was worsening as a result of heavy use during periods of warmer weather.

But several emails and phone calls by Patch to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection seeking comment on the situation went unreturned as of Wednesday afternoon.

Among the questions raised by neighbors who live in the area is whether or not the state intends to place garbage receptacles at the visitor's area to prevent littering, and whether or not the state intends to place a park ranger at the entrance to the park to prevent misuse of the property.

Neighbors have also expressed concern about parking at nearby St. Colman Church and the Rockfall Garage.

Church officials have not returned calls for comment, however a church employee said Wednesday that park visitors who parked at the church last weekend may have prevented parishioners from attending masses.

"There were so many cars parked up here there wasn't room for the people to come to mass," the employee said.

The employee also told Patch that a van parked at the church parking lot was charging visitors $10 to park in the lot for the day. She said visitors also used the church's hose to rinse off after leaving the park.

"They are not vain at all," she said.


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