After surviving one last term as the favorite summer pastime of countless students, the famed rope swing on Mink Brook Trail is coming down.
According to Hanover's Town Manager Julia Griffin, the rope swing will be cut down this week, but the tree to which it is attached will remain. Most of the wooden steps nailed into the tree trunk have already been removed, and a fence and sign have been installed in to indicate rope swinging is not allowed.
"We have promised the neighbors that if someone puts a rope swing back, then the tree is coming down," said Griffin. "It is important to get the word out."
Noise complaints from the neighbors near the rope swing were one of the main reasons why Griffin decided the rope swing had to come down.
In an earlier interview with The Dartmouth, she said that the late night and early morning traffic to the rope swing prevented residents from getting a decent night of sleep during the summer.
However, Griffin also decided to remove the rope because of safety concerns. A number of broken bones and other injuries have befallen people there, often because people are caught in the trailing rope, swing while intoxicated, or go off the rope at night when debris in the water is not visible.
The town's insurance carrier specifically told Griffin that the swing had to go down because rope swing accidents were not covered under Hanover's liability plan.
The town originally planned to cut down both the rope swing and its tree, but Griffin ultimately decided that the tree could remain since its extensive root network was holding together much of the bank.
Many students were opposed to the town's announcement, but during a town and gown meeting on August 16th, Griffin defended their decision.
She hoped everyone would respect the no-swinging ordinance so that the tree will not have to come down at a later date.
"Even without the rope swing there, [visitors] are not supposed to be going down to that section of the road before sunrise and after sunset, or they are subject to a $100 fine," reminded Griffin.
"We have no concerns about it being used for swimming during the day, it's just during the night because of the impact on the neighborhood."
