image description
The Windsor Lake Recreation Commission last week approved leashed dogs on the trail.

Windsor Lake Commission Making Trails Dog-Friendly

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Windsor Lake will become a little more dog friendly this summer.

The Windsor Lake Recreation Commission is recommending the city allow leashed dogs on the trails that circle Fish Pond.

The decision on Tuesday came after nearly a half-hour of discussion on how dogs could be allowed at the lake. Dogs are currently banned from the public beach and trails although campers are allowed to bring their pets, along with proof of vaccinations.

The request came from Christa Abel and Tara Jacobs, representing a group that's been trying to get a dog park in the city.

"We see ourselves as promoting dog friendliness for all of North Adams," Jacobs said, adding that welcoming pets can be an economic booster. The Porches and the new Redwood Motel project are pet-friendly, and her family often choses locations dependent on their "pet friendly" listings.

"When we travel, we've gone to really strange out of the way little town that never in a million years would we travel to except it was pet friendly," she said.

Abel said she often has out-of-town customers in her store, Bark N'Cat, inquiring about dog parks and other pet amenities.

Maybe, they said, an off-leash dog park could be located at the lake, or leashed dogs could be allowed at the Windsor Lake Concert series. Possibly there could be pilot program for off-leash use of the trails.

The commission was open to the idea of making Windsor Lake more accessible but noted there are space limitations to having a fenced-in dog park, and had concerns about waste disposal and how it would affect other patrons of  the recreational area.

Chairwoman Nancy Bullett said she was a dog lover, but did not like the idea of allowing dogs the run of the trails.

"I don't think Windsor Lake is conducive to off-leash," she said. "And all the trails are connected."

There is a particularly large dog that has been on the trails with its owner, Bullett said, and while she knows it is friendly, "if you don't know who the dog is, it would be terrifying not seeing that on a leash."

Debra Forgea said she is frequently on the trails, and admitted to having her leashed dog with her. But she said she's encountered aggressive unleashed dogs that were not under their owner's control.

"My concern is over off-leash dogs on the trail .. not knowing what that dog will do to them or their dog," she said. "The city has an ordinance that requires dogs be on a leash."



Commissioner Arlen Cellana, who works for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, said the rules are difficult to enforce at the city and state level because of the difficulty in policing recreational areas.

Abel and Jacobs agreed, saying it was really up to peer pressure amongst dog owners to enforce rules.

The commission decided to recommend allowing leashed dogs on the trail system only; dogs are still not allowed at the beach or playground area. The local 4-H has offered to donate a stand for waste disposal bags.

The commission, however, rejected a request from Campground Manager Cindy Rosenburg to create a lower-priced "family seasonal" package.

Rosenburg said she has been approached by several families interested in just the months of June to late August but who don't want to have to pay the seasonal rate of $1,980. Charging around $1,400 would guarantee about revenue coming in on lots that might otherwise be vacant.

"All we have is the lake. That's why we have to be creative in how we get people in," she said. "We don't have a swimming pool or activities like other campgrounds have ... we have the lake."

But the commissioners felt that creating a new package with the campground's opening only a few weeks away was unfair to those who had already paid for seasonals. The agreed to discuss rates again in the fall to ensure campers could be made aware of any changes.

Rates for the public beach were set a $5 day; and seasonal rates at $20 for residents and $40 for nonresidents.

In other business, the commission:

Approved a fishing derby for Saturday, Aug. 29, from 8 to 3 for the Lafeyette-Greylock Lodge of Masons. Member Robert Banks said the derby was create for local children and to raise funds for charities, such as Soldier On.

"No kid goes away empty-handed," he said, adding that the Masons would take care of all refreshments and cleanup. "We prepare everything, we provide everything."

Approved Daniel and Sally Connerton's request for memorial bench for their daughter, Brigit Connerton, to placed near the old children's playground at the beach. Their family loved the lake and spent a lot of time there.

"It would be wonderful for us and our daughter and I think the city would profit from it," said Daniel Connerton.


Tags: dogs,   Windsor Lake,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Hoosick Falls Farm Awarded Animal Welfare Certifications

Staff Reports

HOOSICK FALLS, NY — The beef cattle at River and Rail Farms are now Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World (AGW).

The Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW label lets consumers know animals are raised outdoors on pasture or range in accordance with the highest animal welfare standards in the U.S. and Canada, using sustainable agriculture methods on an independent farm. 

Consumer Reports has rated Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW as the only "excellent" food label for animal welfare and verification, according to a press release.

?Siblings Lauren, Erin, and Matt Williams' beef cattle are also Certified Grassfed by AGW. Certified Grassfed by AGW is an optional, additional accreditation for Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW farmers and ranchers raising cattle, sheep, goats or bison according to the Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW high-welfare standards and a 100 percent grassfed feeding protocol.

Lauren, Erin and Matt Williams of River and Rail Farms began farming in 2022 when the siblings purchased the farm from the previous owners—a multiple-generation farming family who ran an organic dairy and diversified livestock farm. The Williams raise Red Devon cattle, a traditional livestock breed well suited to pasture-based management and known for their high-quality meat. The family chose to pursue Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW certifications because they felt the programs best mirrored their exemplary animal husbandry practices and commitment to sustainability.

"We utilize managed rotational grazing to ensure both a healthy farm and high-quality traditional breed Red Devon beef, and we are proud to offer the very best products we can to our customers," Erin Williams said.

"In a marketplace crowded with misinformation and greenwashing, trusted third-party certifications like Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW and Certified Grassfed by AGW deliver real transparency for farmers and consumers," AGW Executive Director Emily Moose said. "We're proud to work with farmers and ranchers like River and Rail Farms to promote their high-quality products and sustainable farming practices."

Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW beef from River and Rail Farms is available at area farmers markets along with directly from the farm, with pre-order online and pickup on-site. Check the AGW directory for details. For more information, visit tilldalefarm.com along with the farm's Facebook and Instagram page and contact Lauren, Erin and Matt Williams at riverandrailfarms@gmail.com and (717) 202-5842.

View Full Story

More New York Stories