Donations needed to repair West Hill Pond Dam

NEW HARTFORD» The Friends of West Hill Pond recently issued the following statement and appeal for donations to repair the pond’s dam.

“West Hill Pond is in trouble. During last year’s drought it was noticed that water continued to drain from the lake when the dam gate was closed. This places properties at risk for flooding damage downstream and could impact the depth of the pond should the dam fail. The leak could make the dam inoperable or even wash it away completely reducing water depth by 7 -10 feet altering all waterfronts around the lake. The state boat launch will become unusable.”

According to the statement, the Trustees of the West Hill Pond Association have completed a bidding process to select an engineering firm to make the necessary repairs in early October so that work can be completed before the first frost. Initial cost estimates for the repairs range from $50,000 to $80,000. The bulk of the financial burden for the reconstruction of the dam will be borne by those who live on or enjoy the use of the lake. This is why donations to fund the dam repairs are essential, members said.

Send checks payable to the West Hill Pond Association, a charitable nonprofit, and mail to: WHPA, PO Box 1057, New Hartford, CT 06057. Contributions using Credit Card, Debit Card, or Paypal account may also be made via the GoFundMe account for West Hill Pond at: https://www.gofundme.com/west-hill-ponddam-repair. Donations can also be made directly at the North End Store in New Hartford. Donations are tax deductible.