BEACON FALLS — Town officials reopened Matthies Park on Monday, though one trail remains closed due to damage from the tornado in May.
Officials closed the park on Pines Bridge Road due to safety concerns after a tornado touched down in town on May 15.
Selectman Michael Krenesky said in an email one trail in the park is marked “closed” due to several trees that fell across the trail. People are asked to avoid the trail that is closed for their own safety.
Officials are asking anyone who uses the park to call Town Hall at 203-729-4340 or public works at 203-729-6978 if they find any other issues in the park that need to be addressed.
The Board of Selectmen discussed reopening the park at its October meeting. At the time, officials expressed concerns about the town’s potential liability if someone gets injured in the park. The board planned to do a walk-through of the park to see what condition the park is in before making a decision.
Krenesky said the board didn’t have to meet to reopen the park since it was closed by First Selectman Christopher Bielik and Road Foreman James Gracy for safety reasons. As always, he said, people use the park at their own risk as they would in any natural wooded setting.