Some of the trash found in the Connecticut River Greenway Conservation Area during one of Northampton Community Rowing’s volunteer pickups.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
NORTHAMPTON — The Connecticut River Greenway Conservation Area is closed indefinitely due to an accumulation of trash and human waste in the area resulting from what the city deems as “illegal activities.”
According to Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra’s office, the trash and waste are “posing serious risks to public health and environmental integrity.”
“The site has presented numerous enforcement challenges, such as motorized boat access, alcohol sales and consumption, fires, illegal dumping, littering, unpermitted gatherings and improper disposal of human and animal waste, all of which are prohibited,” the mayor’s office said in the announcement.
Sally Linowski, the president of Northampton Community Rowing, said the trash problem in the area, located on Damon Road, has become “overwhelming” as more people have flooded the location this summer.
“We worked with the city to convince them to put a dumpster in the parking lot in hopes that people will use it for pack-in and pack-out,” Linowski said. “We found that people weren’t using it at all.”
Northampton Community Rowing, which hosts programs in this area, has spent the last couple years cleaning up trash every day, but Linowski said the volume of trash has become too much for them to handle.
Residents from River Run apartments have also assisted in recent cleanup efforts of the area.
Linowski said the group would regularly find broken glass, diapers, beach towels, bathing suits and liquor bottles. She said they would pick all that up one morning, return the next, and find the beach once again filled with trash.
The waste from Memorial Day weekend was so bad that Linowski said two of her coaches from the group picked up 10 bags worth of trash.
“The area on the beach and in the woods has become unsanitary and unsafe,” said Linowski. “I think it’s to the point now where [the city] needs to go in there with a bucket loader to safely remove everything.”
In its announcement, the city noted how the conservation area has been a destination for the public since 2021, when a sandy peninsula formed due to a natural deposit of soft sand near the boat launch. The area has especially drawn high volumes of people during heat waves, like the multiple ones Western Massachusetts has experienced so far this season.
“Despite multiple efforts to promote lawful and gentle use of the area, the site has continued to face challenges,” the city said. “The closure is needed for public health and environmental preservation.”
The city said that it has also raised concerns about deep water, strong currents and hazards posed by boating traffic in the area.
According to the city, the area is currently not designated as a recreational swimming site and lacks lifeguards. Additionally, the water quality is not monitored in the area due its non-recreational status.
Linowski said Northampton Community Rowing will continue to do what they can in helping preserve the resource but she hopes a gate is added to prevent people going into the area after dusk and she suggested the idea that the city implement ParkMobile so they can use revenue from that to pay for a dumpster or for someone to monitor the location.
“I know the city has been very frustrated too, and we’ll continue to work together on this,” Linowski said. “We’ll continue to do our part to advocate and bring attention to the issue.”
In its announcement, the city said they will “rigorously” enforce the closure and will find solutions to the ongoing problem in the area.
“We are dedicated to finding solutions that will allow safe and responsible use of this area in the future, ensuring it remains a clean, pleasant, and environmentally protected space for all community members,” said the mayor’s office.
