Discussions About Berlin Pond

On Monday, I got the chance to run with a few dedicated individuals who make a habit of meeting up every Monday night to take a jaunt around Berlin Pond.  I must say, I found it very refreshing to run in a group again, especially in such great company.  They were welcoming, jovial, and asked lots of questions.  My kind of people. 

Along the way, we talked a little bit about Berlin Pond.  If you didn't know this, Berlin Pond has been a main source of drinking water for the City of Montpelier since 1884.  To ensure that the water stayed pristine, the City purchased and worked to conserve a large percentage of the surrounding landscape.  Today, there is roughly 3,000 acres of undeveloped land surrounding the pond.  In addition, the City imposed restrictions on the use of the pond, effectively banning swimming, fishing, and various forms of recreation.  Recently, these restrictions came under fire when individuals wanted to use the pond for ice fishing and kayaking.  The result was a court hearing which ultimately lead to a judge upholding the City's ban on public use.

I've been reading a number of articles about the issue and it seems that people are all across the board on the issue.  Some want it to be open for public use and don't see the harm, others think that allowing recreation will degrade the pond, and some think that Montpelier should get their water from somewhere else.  I certainly have my own opinion on the matter but would love to hear yours.  What do you think?  Should Berlin Pond be opened up for recreation?  Leave some thoughts.

For more info, check out the Berlin Pond Watershed Conservation Plan.