By Victoria Wauters
With the Sleeping Giant state park being officially reopened for four months now, the love and beauty of the mountain have finally returned.
Although the Sleeping Giant has not always been a state park, it officially became one in 1924. This State Park is known for its two miles of mountaintop, a variety of beginner, intermediate and advanced trails, and lookout points that are accessible to the public.
On May 15, 2018 a tornado hit Connecticut, damaging multiple areas of land, homes and parks. The Sleeping Giant State Park is one of the biggest monuments that resulted in destruction from the tornado.
The damage that came with the tornado brought devastation to the Hamden community with how much was affected. However, people did not lose hope about what could be restored and fixed. With the help of volunteers and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection the mountain was renovated.
“The summer after I heard about the tornado I remember coming to Hamden and driving by the Sleeping Giant,” Anna Giglio a Quinnipiac University student said. “There were fences along side the street and you literally couldn’t get past them. I remember feeling such a state of sadness because it looked so depressing than how I was used to.”
Although there are many changes in the appearance of the park compared to before and after the tornado, it does not take away from the soul purpose of the mountain. Each season brings a different sense of beauty from each mountaintop and no matter the reason for coming to the mountain, each hiker takes away a memorable view.
This is the Sleeping Giant’s lookout tour.
Jenna Hickey, a senior Quinnipiac University student, says she spent many weekends of her freshman year hiking the Giant and taking in the views from the top. One of her favorite spots was hiking to the lookout tour.
“I actually just recently hiked the Giant for the first time since they reopened,” Hickey said. “I was really impressed with how much was cleaned up. I wasn’t expecting it to look as nice as it did but everything looked good as new.”
According to the New Haven Register, the Sleeping Giant Park Association cleaned up about 32 miles of trails that were congested with fallen trees and branches.
A long time Hamden resident has a similar outlook on the situation.
“Raising my kids in Hamden, I would always bring them over to the state park,” Christine Metivier said. “It was kind of like a Sunday ritual: we would bring snacks and spend the day there. Going back it was great to see how much effort they put into fixing everything, it’s nice to know that the community still cares.”
While there are some areas that are not fully finished, DEEP put up caution tape to direct the visitors where to go and what paths to find. The state park is now back in full force regardless of the areas that need improvements.
These two images are from the entrance of the State Park that show which parts of the mountain are still undergoing some changes.
The community’s feelings post-restoration have fallen back to appreciation, love and enjoyment.
“It’s really awesome to be able to come here and hike,” said Bob Ryan, a Cheshire resident. “Doing something I love with those who love to do this as well. Everyone is happy and friendly on the trails. I always see a smiling face wherever I am. I’m glad this hasn’t changed since all of the messiness that took over.”
This landmark attracts those from neighboring towns and has turned this state park into a welcoming place for those of all over. It lets individuals embrace a sense of diversity within each person that adventures through the mountain, creating a happy environment for everyone.
Although the initial reaction of the community was sadness and hopelessness, they soon realized how change brings a sense of appreciation for something that once was.
Nellie Petriello on her way down the giant after one of the staircases had been cleared.
“I kind of took for granted how special the Sleeping Giant was,” Nellie Petriello, a senior at Quinnipiac University said. “I knew this state park was something that everyone loved, but I didn’t realize how much it would affect me once I heard that there was so much damage done. I’m really glad that there our community put an immense amount of time in cleaning it up because it made all the difference.”
As the leaves on the mountain change, it reminds the community that even though change brings a feeling of uncertainty, it also brings happiness. The mountain may have new paths and trails, but the beauty still remains.
The importance of all the destruction that took place on this mountain is learning to be appreciative. The lesson that comes from this tornado is appreciation. Appreciating change and embracing new aspects of the mountain is what makes the Sleeping Giant State Park still great.