BETHEL — After an idea to provide a sledding hill at the Bethel Airport fell through, the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce recently said it will get out of the business of creating winter recreation for residents.
At a selectmen’s meeting last month, an idea was floated to hold this year’s ski/snowboard Railjam at the airport, and allow the snow hill built for that purpose to be used afterward for sledding for area children.
But at a recent meeting of selectmen, Town Manager Jim Doar said the Airport Authority is recommending against using the airport “for any winterfest recreational activities.”
The biggest worry for him, he said, “is the unsupervised sledding.” He said there could be problems such as debris on the runway or people climbing on airplanes.
Selectman Don Bennett expressed frustration that efforts to provide recreation often “come down to liability.”
Chamber Executive Director Robin Zinchuk, who attended the meeting, said the chamber would likely find another site for the Railjam, which has its own insurance. She agreed that insurance and liability have generally been a problem over the years as the chamber has organized winter activities.
She asked the town to take on responsibility for winter recreation for its residents.
“I just wanted to let you know that I think the chamber is out of the business of creating sledding and skating and those kinds of things for the citizens of the town, and I apologize for that,” she said. “But it is just too hard. It’s too expensive.
“We need to continue to focus on doing things that are going to help the businesses, because they’re the folks that are our constituents,” she said.
“All those kids and families that enjoyed the sledding hill last year (at Festival Plaza) will be disappointed, and I am sure the chamber is going to get flak again for not creating a sledding hill, just like we got all kinds of flak for not flooding the skating rink (at the same location), when in fact I do not believe that is the job of a chamber of commerce.
“I do believe it is the job of the town to create some kind of fun activities for its citizens to the degree you’re able to have the resources to devote to it,” she said.
A report by the town’s Ad Hoc Recreation Facilities Committee presented to selectmen last week included an ice rink on a list of possible recreational resources for the town in the future.
Selectmen noted the report also included a recommendation for a town recreation director, a position that might aid in creating winter activities.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
