As a resident of East Colrain, I sometimes travel Eunice Williams Drive in Greenfield. I have witnessed firsthand several dangerous incidents (besides swimming above the dam). A few of these include: children walking inside of the bridge, where there is no accommodation for foot traffic, and walking down the middle of the road; people stepping in front of traffic; and vehicles parked in travel lanes due to the unloading of gas grills, tables, chairs, tents, coolers, etc.
When the area is congested, it is next to impossible to have two-way traffic.
One of the most concerning issues for the mayor, Greenfield Public Safety Committee and Greenfield Board of Health members should be, Where do the 75 to 100-plus individuals urinate and defecate? There are no Porta Potties or Sani-Cans. The families that enjoy this spot are there for many hours, eating and drinking.
Has anyone from the aforementioned committee and board walked this area during peak use hours, say, on any weekend between 1 and 4 p.m.? If so, what did they see?
If people are defecating in this area, that should be of great concern to public health. Human feces harbor many disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc. It also contaminates the soil and, in turn, if one stepped on the area, an illness could result.
Lastly, feces are a breeding ground for flies and other insects. Theoretically, they could carry fecal matter on their bodies.
This is not a pleasant subject to discuss, and I am in no way suggesting that this is affecting Greenfield’s water supply.
Betty Schneider
Colrain