ATHOL – During an update given to the Selectboard regarding his department’s readiness and capabilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Police Chief Curtis Deveneau said he has spoken with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about public access to the Corp’s operations at the Tully Lake reservation.
“They do have the main area down at Tully Dam blocked off,” said Deveneau at last week’s meeting, “so the gates aren’t open. But they are not discouraging people from going there to be in the outdoors to de-stress and enjoy the area, although they have taken down all of their disc football equipment, because they’re very well known for that.
“We talked about what they want the PD to do. If we see a large group gathering down there, then they would like us to tell them to break it up and keep moving, and we’re okay with that. We’re not really seeing any issues there.”
However, said Deveneau, some issues have arisen relative to Doane’s Falls, which is overseen by the state’s Trustees of Resevations — a comment that raised the interest of Selectboard Chair Deb Deb D’Amico.
“I know there have been some concerns around Doane’s Falls,” she said. “It is officially closed. Of course, the Trustees don’t have the ability to monitor that, and I know that even though it’s been closed, there have been a lot of cars parked there. What is the ‘no parking’ posting situation there and is there any way your folks can ticket if we start to see more people there?”
“We always do have the ability to issue a ticket for a town bylaw violation,” the chief responded. “We try not to do that. We try to be friendly as best we can. There are ‘no parking’ signs on certain areas of Doanes Hill Road.”
Doane’s Falls abuts the Tully Lake area, and Deveneau said he has gotten some feedback from the Army Corp regarding activities on the Trustees’ property.
“They’re of a mind-set that it could be some local people who are causing all the damage down there with some signage,” he said, “because they have now restricted the area to even no fishing. That’s something new the Trustees have done; I was totally unaware of that.
“As far as the parking, I believe starting the first weekend in May, the Army Corps will be having a ranger on to help patrol their area, so we’ll work in concert with them. And I know they will go over there and be checking the (Doane’s Falls) area as well, and trying to move people along.”
D’Amico pointed out that Doane’s Falls isn’t town property and, therefore, the town has no authority to force people off the property. She added, however, that Royalston police could ticket vehicles parked on Doanes Hill Road, adding if cars are parked on both sides of the road it could make access to the area by emergency vehicles problematic.
“That way, over time, it will help discourage people from going there,” she said.
Deveneau said he would work with Public Works Director Keith Newton to ensure proper signs indicating “no parking” is posted “so that it’s very clear and there’s no ambiguity should people decide to fight their citations.”
Tully Lake and Doane’s Falls are both very popular attractions for outdoor enthusiasts from throughout central New England.