SMALLWOOD, NY — Dozens of residents gathered at the recreation area of the Toronto Reservoir on August 20 for a demonstration in support of keeping the access area open to the public. The New York …
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SMALLWOOD, NY — Dozens of residents gathered at the recreation area of the Toronto Reservoir on August 20 for a demonstration in support of keeping the access area open to the public. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) said the area was a public beach and it was being operated without a permit.
DOH wrote, “The Toronto Reservoir has no supervision, lifesaving equipment, potable water supply or emergency response communications, all of which are required at permitted bathing beaches.”
Supporters of the reservoir assert that several other public access areas in Sullivan County have not been closed by DOH and are being operated under the exact same conditions as the one located inside the gated Chapin Estate community. Those access areas include another one on the Toronto Reservoir at Moscoe Road and one on the Swinging Bridge Reservoir. Like the Chapin Estate access area, both of those access areas are required to be maintained by the owner of the reservoirs, Eagle Creek, as a condition of holding a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license to operate a hydroelectric power plant on the Toronto Reservoir
No police or other officials were on hand to try to disperse the residents or to prevent them from using the part of the beach that the DOH says is off limits. There were several people wearing clothing that indicated they are employed by Eagle Creek.
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