Did it ever occur to you to enjoy your day by biking or running or roller blading past this? Is any one in any way at all trying to hirt you? Or in any way trying to stop you or even get your attention? If the answer is no,,,,, then how about you go about your business of enjoying your day and stop looking for trouble and raising concern for no good reason. You sound just like the other poster looking under rocks for trouble. Oh I forgot, George Bush does belive in America stoping people and even attacking people before they have attacked us. I see this lesson has filtered down. Can I vote to "NOT" fix this? 27 viewed and three votes to fix it. I think that says it all.

First off, this is not a forum for politics. Please stick to the subject at hand.

I am surprised that a life-long resident of Hamden would be so reluctant to fix a situation which is clearly illegal and possibly unsafe. This part of the Canal Line is VERY isolated. The path itself cannot be seen from the street or the Parkway. For the record, people also live in the woods behind the north Stop and Shop.

My concern is that this whole area of the Canal Line is becoming like the Canal Line south of Treadwell, and I'm not talking about the grafitti, illegal dumping, literally dozens of broken bottles on the path, or the dirt bikes and 4 wheelers that have destroyed the path down there..in one year. At the Treadwell underpass I once saw two vagabond looking men, well, making-out (you'll be happy to know that my presence didn't disturb them one bit). South of Putnam I've seen them cooking on a campfire, right next to the Canal Line. When I passed the same spot on the way home, they were gone, the fire was still going, and they'd left their syringe on the ground. I don't ride south anymore.

I know you want to think that this is just a Hooverville and none of them would be out there if they could just find a job in today's economy, and so on.....but in reality, in almost all of these cases, sadly, it is drug addiction and/or untreated mental disorders that lead to such a situation. As this path is used by children and women, often times alone, worst case scenario is that something really bad is going to happen to someone before this gets fixed. Best case scenario- the path-users will only have to witness drug use or sexual acts.

Anyone who uses the Canal Line knows to not go too far south on it. How far will this spread? Will I be putting my bike in my car and driving to Sleeping Giant to pick up the Canal Line up there?

And for the record, as squatting is illegal, anyone living in the woods has ALREADY done something wrong, illegal in fact.

Sure there are people living in the woods, have been for years, seen them myself, and there will be more as the economy reels from the outsourcing, deregulation and mismanagement of the previous administration. That combined with a “Just say no” Senate minority leave more and more people to fall through the cracks.
The manufacturing jobs many of the woods dwellers ( also tent, cars and abandoned building residents) depended on have been long since been consolidated or sent over seas to bolster shareholder equity, think Winchester or Ives Hardware. Or maybe it was a health crisis, no insurance or a claim denial that lead to their present state. If it is true that there is a medical related bankruptcy every 3 minutes in this country and 65% had insurance when they first became sick their numbers will surely grow unless something is done.
The failed policy of mainstreaming mental health patients began under the Reagan administration dumped an entire population with mental health issues on under funded and under equipped states and localities to deal with creating the first homeless surge back in the 80’s which continues to this day. In addition the 30 year assault on public education left our workforce ill equip in today’s marketplace. Teaching t a standardized test leaves no room for the critical and creative thinking needed in the world of tomorrow.
My suggestion is to bring along a few cans of food in a bag while you are biking and leave it along the trail for someone who could use it.

Wake up people! I live right near the canal line. its already changed since they built it we have had stuff taken from our yard. someone forced open the screen on my window. I think they thought the window was unlocked but it wasn't. thank God. That made me want to move. I don't even like to take the trash out at night. The dogs are always barking at stuff. we did not have any problems here before they built the canal line. I feel bad for them to but it is not families and kids and stuff that live in there it's more like i dont know sketchy truck stop ppl. I have seen alot of drug stuff down there and condom boxes to. so the kids can't go down there and maybe not even outside. Really I don't care if they live down there but they have to at least stay cool and not take peoples property. if they want to be left alone they shouldnt do this stuff. Ive heard the motor cycles down there to maybe 10 times, i know that's not the ppl who live there but still. Theres no law there. I think if there were police on bikes and more patrols on the street it would be better. if you all had to deal with it you might feel different!!!!

Regular Trail User-

So thanks for blatantly ignoring my request that politics not be included here, as this is a website for civic infrastructure problems. I found your synopsis of modern American history to be quite intriguing. If I had only run into you before I pursued higher education, I never would have wasted a whole semester learning actual facts in American History 102!

I found your suggestion to feed the squatters to be an excellent idea. I, too, think that we should be feeding and accommodating these lawbreakers in anyway possible. It led me to some other thoughts...why stop there? Should we bring them syringes? Or perhaps some vodka? The thought of those poor, poor people having to sober up pulls at my heart-strings.

So now I have to say something that isn't sarcastic-
Some people can see a problem coming and take the appropriate steps to ensure that it does not become a reality. Other people live oblivious to an issue until somebody has been hurt, and then demand the situation to be rectified.

My question to you is- Should we protect the squatting addicts or should we protect the citizens of Hamden?

Ho Chi Minh-

Thanks for the support! I'm so glad that someone else can see this situation for what it is. The name is hilarious, it's too bad that it may one day be an accurate comparison. Personally I feel for you for having to live so close to the Canal Line. It made me more thankful that my house is a few blocks from it.

You were right when you said that there is no law on the trail. When they first built the Canal Line there was a fund-raiser dinner to raise money for the town to buy 2 quads (four wheelers). I 'd like to know why no one has ever seen them.

So you want to strike the first blow before you are attacked. YES PEOPLE, BABY BUSH tried his best to teach the world and the residents of Hamden that attack first before you are attacked is ok. IT IS NOT! Until some one brakes the law you need to mind your own business. When a law is broken call the Hamden cops and they will decide the proper action from there. NOT YOU!

So where then shall the homeless live? Are they someone else's "problem"? Let New Haven deal with it? Are these people actually "dangerous" or do they just offend your sensibilities?

Life Long Hamden Resident-

If you would take the time to read the previous comments before you felt compelled to add your own, you'd know (as I already told you, in fact you specifically) that, as squatting is illegal, these people HAVE ALL ALREADY BROKEN THE LAW! It's really easy to criticize from the other side of town. Why don't you send your kid somewhere on the Canal Line and see how comfortable you feel.

Again, in hopes of you seeing this, I am going to repeat myself and say again that these people HAVE ALL ALREADY BROKEN THE LAW!

As you are only here to add comments and you are not reading anyone else's, I look forward to seeing you respond again with "wait til they've broken the law".

I have read all of the comments and think the focus (or main concern) of the original post has been lost: SAFETY.

I am a middle-aged woman who used to enjoy jogging on the canal line (usually I would be alone). I would usually start behind Stop and Shop and head North. I used to wear my MP3 player, but not anymore. There been times I have been alone, especially in the stretch, past Skiff (that runs parallel to Rte 15) and have seen the people in the woods. At this point no, nothing has happened to me and maybe nothing ever will. But are we really willing to wait until something does to act? I have seen children on the canal line riding their bikes alone. Shouldn't the safety of our residents be a top concern?
As for the "homeless", I don't think it's a matter of where they should "go" but more of what help can we offer them.

...my computer acted up before I was able to write my final thoughts.

I believe if this situation was handled properly, it could be a winning situation for all involved.
1) Keeping the canal line safe for all of those who use it
2) Getting the "homeless" the help/care they need.

How is ignoring the problem going to benefit anyone?

life long resident: laws are being broken at this second. it is illegal to live in the woods and also to do drugs

MJ- hamden residents are not these people's concern, but drug addicts are

J-walking is a crime. You can report me to the Hamden cops for doing so and they will decide what to do about it. I think I have made my point. I can't wait to see what the Hamden cops will think of this and decide to do about it. But I think I have a very good guess.

I was talking with my neighbor today, he had clothes stolen off of his line this week. so a hamden taxpaying homeowner trys to lower his electric bill and also go green and it ends up costing him money!!!!

One person does the right thing and one does the wrong thing and I bet all you non-voters will side with the wrongdoers.

So anyone here who isn't voting for this is saying that homeless drug addicts should come before taxpaying Hamden residents.

THIS IS NOT WHY THEY BUILT THE CANAL LINE

For ANYONE NEW TO THIS THREAD, and just to go over the situation again, as 2 pages of comments is quite a bit:

1) We are talking about all of the Canal Line south of the Dixwell crossing.
2)This is not displaced or job-seeking families. I personally have seen around 20 different people, all but 2 of them were men.
3) Many of us have seen evidence of drug use or sexual acts (I've actually witnessed these in person, other than just seeing the evidence) in the same areas where we know they live.
4) I know 4 of their spots in the woods: The woods at the bottom of the hill (in back of where Brueger's bagels used to be) just south of the Dixwell crossing. The woods behind Stop and Shop. The woods south of the Treadwell underpass. The woods just south of the bridge over Putnam.

We also have a commenter here who lives next to the Canal Line and has had issues on his property.

I started this thread to allow parents and Canal Line users to understand where the dangerous areas are, as I've spent a lot of time on the CL and understand the situation.

Thank you.

I too have walked this area and noticed evidence of activity in the woods, particularly in the area going south from Dixwell where the trail crosses over the road near the old Tommy k's Plaza/Brueggers to where the trail runs right along rte 15. This is kind of an isolated area and I felt somewhat uncomfortable even in the middle of the day. I have also seen evidence of people dwelling in the woods behind the stop & shop near Putnam (the more southerly stop& shop). I would hope that the Hamden police would take notice of this.

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I've seen two kids coming out of the woods elsewhere. I think they must be all over.

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