It was a sad day in the neighborhood last week when TransCanada put up a fence around the Deerfield River walkway. It was clear from the article in The Recorder that TransCanada wants to be a good “corporate citizen” and has donated $50,000 towards the purchase of Cricket Field, which is greatly appreciated by the local community.
The Deerfield River walkway has been accessible to the residents of Conway St. and others in the wider community since 1912. Over the past 35 years, I have enjoyed a walk around the canal twice a day. Children and adults in the neighborhood have been able to enjoy the beauty of water, mountains and the occasional eagle overhead. It has been a daily source of beauty and comfort to all of us. This canal walk was our sanctuary; away from the trucks and cars that travel up and down our road daily to workplaces in Conway and Ashfield.
I believe there was a better solution than the choice TransCanada made. Yes, it is private property, but other towns with canals have chosen to fence off the area around the canal itself while still insuring public safety and allowing the community to enjoy the land. This could have been a win-win situation for TransCanada and the neighborhood.
Sadly, this was not the path TransCanada chose. It could have really been a “local hero” and continued the honorable 104-year-old tradition of allowing neighbors access to the Deerfield Walkway.
Karen Green
Shelburne Falls