Concord Swimmers Outraged By New Restrictions On Walden Pond

CONCORD, MA — On Friday, July 1st, Governor Charlie Baker signed legislation to raise fines for all swimmers who are caught swimming outside of designated areas in what he says is an effort to prevent more drownings.

Walden Pond is one of the popular spots that no longer allows open water swimming. Instead, the famous pond will be monitored by lifeguards, ropes, and buoys blocking off swimming in newly restricted waters. Now an open water swimming community is fighting to get their free swimming back at Henry David Thoreau's favorite pond.

A Facebook group called Boston Open Water Swimming has been actively against this new legislation since the start. Members of the group worry that banning open water swimming at Walden will just push swimmers to more unsafe locations.

The open water swimming community has created a petition to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) that has already gained more than 10,500 signatures to allow open swimming back at Walden Pond.

The legislation, "An Act Relative to Enhanced Enforcement of Swimming Limitations," would increase the maximum fine to $500 for entering or swimming in any waters on DCR property that is not designated for swimming.

The open water swimming group has also received responses from local Representatives to help re-open free swimming at Walden Pond.

Attleboro's State Representative Jim Hawkins posted that he plans to write a letter to Charlie Baker as soon as he reads the Governor's bill.

Massachusetts State Representative Tommy Vitolo wrote in an email, "I oppose the reduction of available open water swimming on Department of Conservation and Recreation lands including the closure of Walden pond. I am working with my colleagues to explore more proactive approaches to water safety... I have sent a letter to Governor Baker expressing my views on this matter."

A letter to the DCR Commissioner about Walden and the fines at DCR parks written by Representative Steve Owens also has been posted on the page.

In recent years, most open water swimmers have begun swimming with bright-colored swim buoys, or inflatable flotation devices for safety. One of the suggested options could be to make those a requirement, swimmers said.