Ansonia’s new Riverwalk should be paved and ready for walking in the next two weeks, Board of Aldermen president Stephen Blume told the board Tuesday.
But, with new rules approved by the board Tuesday, residents won’t be able to bring any animals with them.
That means people walking dogs on Derby’s Greenway won’t be allowed to continue walking on Ansonia’s Riverwalk.
The two paths will connect at Division Street, near the BJs entrance to Derby’s Greenway trial. Ansonia’s path will continue along the Naugatuck River north until the train tracks.
Jerome Fainer, chairman of the board’s ordinance committee, said Ansonia mirrored its Riverwalk rules on the guidelines in place in Derby.
“We tried to keep ours basically the same, except we’re not allowing animals,” Fainer said.
Service animals are the only exception to the rule.
The proposal was reviewed by the Board of Police Commissioners and the public had time to give input, Fainer said.
Aside from no animals, the rules include:
- No motorized vehicles except wheelchairs and emergency vehicles
- Alcohol is prohibited
- Small children should not be left unattended
- No littering
Poop Concerns
The proposal to ban animals from the public walkway comes in response to problems Derby has on its Greenway trail.
Derby officials often complain about dog owners not cleaning up after their pets on the Greenway trail.
Ansonia officials hope that restricting the Riverwalk to humans only will be easier to patrol.
The idea got mixed reviews from people walking along the Greenway trail last month. Click here to read an article about the proposal.
Next Steps
Blume said the city needs to pave Ansonia’s Riverwalk, and then they will have a grand opening of the site.
He said that should happen in two weeks.
Once the first portion of Ansonia’s Riverwalk is complete, and once Ansonia gets right of way access, the next step will be to build a bridge over the train tracks and continue the walkway up to the sidewalk at Pershing Drive.
Ansonia hopes to eventually create another walkway across the river, behind buildings on Main Street, which will create a loop for people walking the Ansonia portion of the walkway.
