Shelton closes the path by the Dam

This summer, when we started biking, Archer took us down to the Shelton river and showed us a great little path down by the Hydroelectric Dam. It was a 1/2 mile long gravel-paved walkway and bike path which was great for us as beginners. It ran along the Housatonic River, giving pretty views, but was straight, flat, and simple. It was a wonderful resource to discover and we used it a lot until we had build up our experience and strength to take on longer rides and city streets.

But that option is no more. The developer who owns the area, who has been pushing the city of Shelton to buy the land, has closed the area to public access, for good. The given reason is liability. The area was originally an industrial area, so the only people on that path were people who went out of their way to find it. Now, high density condos are being built nearby, and the developer claims the path could be dangerous when the dam's spillways are in use. To my ears, it sounds more like this is a tactic on the part of the developer to force the town to buy the land.

Either way, it is bad that this is being taken away from the public. And worse that it appears to have been done without giving the public any say in the process.