Who We Are
The West Hill Pond Association is an Association of Associations. Its Trustees and Officers represent various stakeholders with interests in managing and protecting the lake. All Trustees and Officers are volunteers.
The WHPA owns, regulates and controls the water rights to West Hill Pond. Those rights include, without limitation, ownership of the dam, the gatehouse located on the dam, all appurtenances thereto, and rights of way to and from the dam. By functioning as an Association with specific directives and structure, the WHPA ensures that the interests of all the stakeholders can be heard and considered, and actions are taken to support the best interests of all parties represented by the Association.
Our Mission
While the specific mission of the Association is detailed in the WHPA’s Bylaws, in general terms it is
. . . to promote the general welfare of the community around West Hill Pond and the Towns of New Hartford and Barkhamsted, Connecticut, by owning, regulating and controlling the water rights to West Hill Pond; to maintain, improve and enhance the quality of water in West Hill Pond and its watershed; to control and abate pollution therein; and to design, create, implement and conduct projects to that end.
In practical terms, this means that Association volunteers meet to discuss topics of concern and determine if action is required and what that action might be. This typically involves working with local and state agencies, scientists and engineers, various stakeholders and members of the public, and seeking sources of funding to assist with the execution of projects. The Trustees and Officers welcome input on issues relevant to the workings of the WHPA and the water quality of West Hill Pond.
For the past half century, the Association has managed all aspects of dam maintenance and safety. While WHPA owns the dam, the land on which the dam is situated is owned by the Laurel Acres Property Owners’ Association (LAPOA), and the road crossing the dam is owned by the Town of Barkhamsted.
Our Structure
The WHPA’s affairs are controlled by a Board of Trustees, each of whom has been appointed by Organizations with a vested interest in participating in the West Hill Pond Association. There are also two At Large Trustees, who are volunteers elected by the Board of Trustees.
The organizations represented on WHPA are:
● West Hill Lake Shore Property Owners
WHLSPOA is a voluntary social membership association of the lake shore property owners. While the primary purpose has been social, the Association is very active in protecting the quality of West Hill Lake’s pristine waters. Representative for Trustee: Pete Humphrey
Camp Sequassen consists of 540 acres of forest with over 2500 feet of shoreline on West Hill Pond, one of the most beautiful spring-fed lakes in Connecticut. The camp is operational year round except for Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving weekend, Winter Holidays (December 24-January 1), Spring Holidays (Good Friday – Easter Sunday) and Memorial Day weekend. Weekend camping is not available from mid-June through August due to summer resident camp programs.
Representative for Trustee: Dave Boyajian
Camp Workcoeman consists of 550 acres on the western shore of West Hill Pond. Established in 1924, it is one of the oldest continuously operated Scout camps in the country. Camp Workcoeman is used year-round for short-term camping for all Scouting Cub Packs, Scout Troops, Venture Crews as well as district and Order of the Arrow activities.
Representative for Trustee: Steven Smith
● Laurel Acres Property Owners’ Association (LAPOA)
Founded in 1955, LAPOA is an association of about 160 property owners on the north and eastern side of West Hill Lake whose purpose is to provide a recreational and social environment for its members. LAPOA offers several activities for its members throughout the summer season, and maintains a private beach and motor boat dock on the north end.
Representative for Trustee: Beth Tripp
Founded in 2006, West Hill Beach Club is a member-owned and operated social and recreational club of outdoor enthusiasts who love picnicking, swimming, sailing and kayaking on beautiful spring-fed West Hill Pond, one of the most spectacular bodies of water in Connecticut. It is located on the south-western shore and occupies land and facilities that were once the property of (Boy Scout) Camp Pioneer.
Representative for Trustee: Mary Hourdequin
● Marsten Trail
Representative for Trustee: Kay Compton
● Town of New Hartford
The Town of New Hartford acquired Brodie Park in 1986 where it maintains recreation fields, playgrounds, skateboard park, a conference/dining center and, of course, the waterfront beach and boating areas for recreation.
Representative for Trustee: Dan Jerram
● At Large Representative : Duncan Kruse, President
● At Large Representative : Ron Fierman, Treasurer