KENT – A popular swimming hole was closed over the weekend following reports of overcrowding, litter and other problems during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
First Selectman Eric Epstein announced in an email Friday that the eastern section of North Kent Road, which provides access to a scenic bend of the Housatonic River just downstream from gentle rapids, would be closed from 3 p.m. Friday, July 10, through 8 a.m. Monday, July 13. Epstein said the closure was intended to protect the site from litter and pollution after neighbors reported loud music and parking concerns.
The order is the first closure of the spot since it was shut down for several weeks at the end of last summer following similar incidents that left the riverbanks and parking area strewn with trash.
On Friday afternoon, Epstein said the closure was a temporary measure while the site’s stakeholders work toward a long-term solution that protects the area while preserving it as a community recreation resource.
Epstein said more than 100 people were reportedly in the water at times during the Fourth of Julyweekend, though that number is unofficial. Beyond the crowding, Epstein said the site was impacted by trash, human waste, traffic and parking congestion, loud music and emergency vehicle access blockages.
“There’s a host of issues,” he said.
Regulating the site has been difficult due to the patchwork ownership of the river and the surrounding land. Organizations with ownership interests or management responsibilities include the town of Kent, the Wildlife Management Division of the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Conservation, the Kent Land Trust, Eversource Energy, the Housatonic Railroad Company, the Housatonic Valley Association, the Housatonic River Commission, the Appalachian Trail Association and others.
Epstein said the various stakeholders have been meeting weekly to discuss a long-term plan for the site. “The overall consensus among these groups is that we want it open and we want people to be able to enjoy the area,” he said, “but not at this expense.”
Epstein noted that beyond swimming and leisure, the spot is valued for its fishing, boating and other outdoor activities.
While the weekend closure is temporary, Epstein said it could be reinstated for subsequent weekends if further problems arise. A total closure of the access road for the summer isn’t out of the question, either, though he said he wants to avoid that outcome.
“If we can come to an agreement and figure out a solution so that everyone can enjoy it and be respectful of the area, then I hope [access] can continue,” he said. “But we haven’t been able to come to that conclusion yet.”
