THE GATES AT FORT HILL

I REMEMBER YEARS AGO LOOKING IN THE WUSKUSO AT THE PICTURES OF THE BEAUTIFUL GATES LEADING INTO FORT HILL ELDER HOUSING.

THEY ARE QUITE INTERESTING IN DESIGN. THEY HAVE ANIMALS AND PLANTS AND THINGS ON THEM. ONE GATE HAS A FROG, TURTLE AND SOME BULL RUSHES ON IT. THE OTHER GATE HAS A WOLF, DEER AND SOME TREES. THE GATES OPEN INWARD TOWARDS THE FORT HILL HOUSING BUILDING. THEY ARE GREEN IN COLOR HANGING BY TWO PILLARS MADE OF ROCKS.. THE TOP OF EACH PILLAR HAS TWO ROUND BALLS MADE OF ROCK BY MOHEGAN CRAFTSMEN MANY YEARS AGO.

WHEN THE GATES WERE WORKING A FEW YEARS AGO, SEVERAL RESIDENTS ALMOST RAN INTO THE GATES. THEY SIMPLY DID NOT SEE THEM CLOSED. THE MANAGEMENT OF FORT HILL NEVER INFORMED THE TENANTS THEY WERE GOING TO CLOSE THE GATES AT 10:00 P.M. SO WHAT WAS DONE ABOUT IT? REFLECTORS WERE PUT ON THE GATES. SPOT LIGHTS WERE PLACED ON ONE SIDE (ON A COLUMN) LIGHTING UP THE GATES TO BE SEEN.

FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THE GATES HAVE BEEN OPEN. I INQUIRED WHY THEY WERE LEFT OPEN. THE FIRST THING I LEARNED THAT IN WINTER THE WORKERS ARE AFRAID THAT THE SNOW WILL GET IN THE WAY AND KEEP THEM FROM OPENING BACK UP. THERE IS ALSO THE FEAR THAT ICE COULD MAYBE SOMEHOW LOCK THEM UP.

THE TENANTS OF FORT HILL HAVE SEEN WORKERS WORKING ALL DAY RIGHT UP TO DARK (NIGHT FALL) TRYING TO FIX THE GATES. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE GATES?

ON INVESTIGATION, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CONCRETE UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE GATES AT THE COLUMNS ARE EITHER ALLEGEDLY DISINTEGRATING BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE CONCRETE, OR THE SALT FROM SNOW PLOWING MAY BE EATING UP THE CONCRETE TOO. THE MOTORS WE ARE TOLD ARE IN THE CONCRETE BELOW THE GATES. ON ONE GATE. WE ARE TOLD THAT MOTOR IS MOVING IN THE CONCRETE, WHICH IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING. THE MOTORS ARE TO BE SECURED AND NOT ABLE TO MOVE. THE HINGE ON THAT SIDE, BECAUSE THE MOTOR MOVES, IS ALLEDGEDLY BENT. THE GATE IS ALLEGEDLY ON ROCK LEDGE AND THEREFORE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF TAKING A LIGHTNING STRIKE. WE ARE TOLD THE GATES HAVE SURGE PROTECTORS TO PROTECT THE MOTORS. WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE OF THE SURGE PROTECTORS GETS SET OFF. DO THE GATES OPEN AGAIN OR CLOSE? DO WE THEN NEED A MECHANIC? THE INVESTIGATION ALSO UNCOVERED THAT IT IS ALLEGED, THAT THE WIRES IN THE ELECTRICAL BOX ON THE SIDE OF THE PILLAR, LOOKS LIKE SPAGHETTI (GOING EVERY WHICH WAY WITH NO ORDER.)

THE TWO GATES EACH WEIGH ABOUT 400 POUNDS AND THE MOTORS ARE RATED TO MOVE AN ESTIMATED 1,200 POUND GATES. THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK. WILL IT EVER WORK, AGAIN? DID THE PEOPLE WHO APPROVED IT, REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING? THE GATES ARE REALLY NICE LOOKING. ARE THE GATES VERY PRACTICAL? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE GATES AT FORT HILL ELDER HOUSING?