Westcott Reservoir
Encyclopedia
The Westcott Reservoir is a 110 million USgals (416,395.3 m³) reservoir
serving the City of Syracuse
, New York
. The reservoir's location would be outside the city limits but for a gerrymandering city border that extends out to include it. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant in 2005 was to replace the deteriorated Hypalon
lining; as of October 2005 the reservoir stood empty.
in the winter. The reservoir is considered to be the best place for sledding
in the entire Syracuse area, despite the "No Sledding" signs posted along the fence at the top of the hill. On January 10, 2009, a 12 year old girl was sledding down the reservoir when she couldn't stop herself and slammed head first into a parked car. She sustained severe head injuries and died 3 days later. As a result, the city of Syracuse proposed that an orange fence be put up around the reservoir to further prohibit sledding, and to keep people safe.
Hang-gliders, when the sport was new, used to test fly off the North side although there is no safe direction to go; at least one hang-glider has been seriously injured upon ensnaring in power lines over West Genesee St.
Semi-flat areas along the West side are used for softball
and other sports.
In the 1960s and before, a flat grassy terrace that rings the reservoir about 15 feet (4.6 m) below the top, became a popular hangout area. Marijuana was occasionally smoked with some impunity there, any law enforcement arriving would have a long steep climb and be seen from far above. A fence was erected just outside the ring roadway to prevent access around 1970. Unfortunately that also prevents use of the terrace by joggers and as a staging area for the sledding in winter.
Water reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
serving the City of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The reservoir's location would be outside the city limits but for a gerrymandering city border that extends out to include it. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant in 2005 was to replace the deteriorated Hypalon
Hypalon
Hypalon is a trademark for chlorosulfonated polyethylene synthetic rubber noted for its resistance to chemicals, temperature extremes, and ultraviolet light. It was a product of DuPont Performance Elastomers, a subsidiary of DuPont....
lining; as of October 2005 the reservoir stood empty.
Recreation
An open grassy hillside descends from the reservoir all around, with the north end facing onto West Genesee Street having the tallest and longest slope, popular for sleddingSledding
Sledding , sledging , sleding or tobogganing is a common activity in wintry areas, similar to sliding, but in a prone or seated position requiring a device or vehicle generically known in the US as a sled or in other countries as a sledge or toboggan...
in the winter. The reservoir is considered to be the best place for sledding
Sledding
Sledding , sledging , sleding or tobogganing is a common activity in wintry areas, similar to sliding, but in a prone or seated position requiring a device or vehicle generically known in the US as a sled or in other countries as a sledge or toboggan...
in the entire Syracuse area, despite the "No Sledding" signs posted along the fence at the top of the hill. On January 10, 2009, a 12 year old girl was sledding down the reservoir when she couldn't stop herself and slammed head first into a parked car. She sustained severe head injuries and died 3 days later. As a result, the city of Syracuse proposed that an orange fence be put up around the reservoir to further prohibit sledding, and to keep people safe.
Hang-gliders, when the sport was new, used to test fly off the North side although there is no safe direction to go; at least one hang-glider has been seriously injured upon ensnaring in power lines over West Genesee St.
Semi-flat areas along the West side are used for softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
and other sports.
History
The reservoir was built in 1930.In the 1960s and before, a flat grassy terrace that rings the reservoir about 15 feet (4.6 m) below the top, became a popular hangout area. Marijuana was occasionally smoked with some impunity there, any law enforcement arriving would have a long steep climb and be seen from far above. A fence was erected just outside the ring roadway to prevent access around 1970. Unfortunately that also prevents use of the terrace by joggers and as a staging area for the sledding in winter.
External links
- http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv2507.php has a picture from the South. The terrace ring is visible.
- http://newtimes.rway.com/1998/best1998/sports.htm Rated "Best Place to Sled" by a local newspaper.