By Stephen Cheslik
EAGLE TIMES MANAGING EDITOR
CLAREMONT — When Claremont resident Stephen Fitch arrived at Monadnock Park for his morning walk on Tuesday, he pulled out his phone instead of heading over to the track.
If “I wanted to walk my usual 10 laps around the track at Monadnock Park, I would have to do some swimming first,” Fitch said.
The park, which is located in a low-lying area along the Sugar River, had turned into a millpond overnight.
“We’re considering water polo and bass fishing as well,” said Claremont Parks and Recreation Director Nick Lawrence. Department employees only remember seeing similar flooding two or three times in the last 25 years, he said.
The park took the brunt of the flooding in Claremont.
“It’s always been known as a low spot in the city,” Lawrence said.
While waters were just starting to recede Tuesday, lasting damage wasn’t expected.
The track was elevated when it was built and major issues weren’t expected with storage areas and dugouts.
While things are expected to return to normal, the flooding has had an impact on recreation. The youth soccer association has already cancelled all of its activities at the park for the week and a Friday baseball tournament is in question.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the river crested at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, but was still significantly above its normal level in the afternoon.
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