Thomaston police officers have begun regularly patrolling Nystrom’s Park on Turner Road in Thomaston.
The police chief, along with the first selectman and parks director decided to make the change after they received numerous complaints over the Fourth of July weekend.
Complaints ranged from people drinking alcohol, to them bringing dogs and setting off fireworks, all of which are against park rules.
The police chief said he feels at this point more patrols are necessary.
“We feel if we don’t, it’s just going to get out of control and they keep adding to that facility, nicer things. So the more things they put there and attractions, the more people we’re going to attract. So we want to ensure in the future and for the rest of the season that everyone’s trip up there is pleasurable,” said Thomaston Police Chief Jeff Madden.
In light of recent complaints and disruptions, local residents have asked if the park can be restricted to just Thomaston and Litchfield residents.
But Parks and Recreation Director Marty Egan said that is not possible.
Local
“The town on several occasions has accepted money from the state of Connecticut for improvements here. Once you do that you are tied to some rules that come with that and that includes the inability to leave non-residents out,” Egan said.
Those improvements include upgrades to an old bathhouse in the 1980s, construction of a new bathhouse in the 1990s where the town accepted $70,000 from the state, and improvements to the lower end of the park that amounted to about a half a million dollars from the state.
