The August meeting of the Benson Park Advisory Committee focused heavily on the increasing use of smoke bombs in the park, an issue members say has become disruptive and potentially dangerous.
“Apparently that’s the new thing now, using smoke bombs for senior pictures,” said Committee Chair Sue Clement. “I had to go over and tell someone they cannot have smoke bombs in this park. These are devices where you pull a pin, it goes boom, and any color of smoke you want comes out. It’s like a big, giant cloud of color.”
Clement warned that the devices are not only unsettling to other visitors but pose a fire hazard. In at least one instance, police were called to stop park goers who continued setting off smoke bombs despite being told to stop.
“That was the day of a big event with the band here,” she said. “We had a lot of people on the property, and at first people thought it was part of the concert when this big cloud of red smoke came through. I just want to make sure photographers who come to our park understand they cannot set those off. You cannot use any type of firework or smoke bomb in Benson Park.”
Smoke bombs, along with litter from large gatherings, tie into the broader effort the Advisory Committee has undertaken this summer to clarify and enforce park ordinances. Committee member Evan Maloney said progress has been steady.
“I know we’ve been chipping away at that for the past couple of months,” Maloney said. “With some minor suggested edits, I sent our version of ordinance signage to Administrator Roy Sorenson to get his guidance on how to move this forward through the Board of Selectmen. He connected me with Deputy Chief McElhinney of Hudson PD, which was really helpful because enforcement is a partnership with Hudson Police, and we wanted to make sure they were aware of the changes we’re looking at.”
The Deputy Chief recommended simplifying Benson Park’s operating hours, suggesting a “dawn to dusk” standard. Committee member Jake Beauchemin emphasized that enforcement ultimately rests with Hudson Police.
“We’re not the enforcement body,” Beauchemin said. “Hudson PD is. They need to enforce any ordinances we want to make.”
Clement noted that she and other committee members have occasionally spoken to park patrons violating trash or noise rules, but said that should not be their role.
“We shouldn’t be the ones doing that,” she said. “You don’t know how people will react.”
Committee member Jan Horvath suggested involving the Department of Public Works more directly, particularly regarding park usage forms for gatherings of 15 or more people.
“Is the form for the usage of the park issued or approved by DPW?” Horvath asked. “I think we should include the procedure so we know what the scope is today or tomorrow and can monitor it if somebody is monitoring it.”
Clement agreed to reach out to DPW for clarification.
The next meeting of the Benson Park Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Hudson Cable Access Center.
