And I was all set to host a big wild party there! ;-)

Just kidding of course. Thanks go out to the Open Space Stewards for helping to keep our town's public spaces so clean an safe.

There missing a sign: "ID'S WILL BE CHECKED"!!!

ID's? for what?

Residents only

My understanding is that a few years ago we accepted state money which caused us to not longer be able to restrict the area to town residents. It too bad, the cars are taking over most of the neighborhood, the people are slobs, and the drive way to fast. Don't worry I am sure the bacteria level will rise again soon and the beach will be closed to everyone. Then maybe the kids in the neighborhoood will be able to ride bikes again

Another example of poor decision-making by the powers that be! Does that apply to Heart Pond too?

Your understanding is what the town administration has been telling us but it is not true. The town did use state money a very long time ago and the beach was used for just town residents up into about 8 or so years ago. We need more cford residents to stand up and keep it town residents only.

I bet if the lake was smack in Chelmsford center it would be residents only!!!

Many Thanks to the wonderful selfless volunteers who gave of their time on a lovely Sunday and were cleaning up the overflowing trash barrel (topped off by a discarded baby car seat!) at Heart Pond today! There should definitely be a carry-in, carry out policy for this jewel of Chelmsford. Lack of respect by some for our recreation facilities is so not right.

Our town manager has made a decision to "invite" anyone to use our town beaches. Freeman lake has been taken over by gangs from Lowell and Lawrence. To say they are slobs is a drastic understatement. This group has threatened residents, mothers with small children, some of our selectmen, to name a few. They are there at all hours selling drugs, trashing town property, urinating in the lake, among their activities. In spite of constant calls to the police, and many calls to the town manager, this continues. Mr Cohen has taken a safe and quiet neighborhood, and trashed it. There is no law or obligation to let in anyone. The beach was staffed to check id's for many years with no problem at all. The police acted as backup, and evicted anyone who did not respond to a polite refusal. This is a dangerous situation Mr. Cohen has created. Our selectmen have been contacted, and they have been no help. Anyone have any ideas? Will it take a shooting to return the beach to town residents ? If you have never been seriously threatened with bodily harm and intimidated, you have no idea what these freeloaders are like that have moved in.

Both ponds must be made "residents only" ASAP! I fear "the horse is already out of the barn" , and the problem of out of towners not respecting our town's rec facilities will only grow worse with time, and as word spreads about these free (to outsiders) facilities that our townspeople work so hard to maintain. Do we need to draw up a residents petition for this policy to be changed, or vote on it? Resiidents who don't use the facilities or live near them are most likely not aware of the problems going on there. Why should taxpayers/residents have to put up with this? Ponds in Littleton, Harvard, Acton all require IDS or paid passes.

I have to listen to fishermen and they're fellow big mouths every day at the bridge on route 4 by my home. They start early. Let's make our resources our own. Residents only. make it a law.

I think you people are stuck up snobs!! I am a nonresident who enjoys freeman beach with my 2 small children ( when it is not closed because of ecolie.) If you people are so concered about non residents who pick up more debris then we take in then show some balls and get us thrown out and pick up your own trash

TJ, while you may be an upstanding citizen, there are many more who come to the beach from out of town and trash the area with they verbal abuses and "gang like" shanagans. Sorry you are offended, but this is what many people in town want