by
Andrew Jensen
Hartford needs to make a shift in its future. By way of poor urban planning and targeted discrimination, the city of Hartford has become disconnected to the Connecticut River. A once important waterway is now cut off by freeways and waste plants, leaving some Hartford residents believing that the Connecticut River was a myth. When you are by the river, all you can hear is the sound of traffic and the wind ripping across the barren land of the soon-to-be-closed Hartford-Brainard Airport. With no trees to protect the bank, the winds rip across the water, threatening to drown out all other sounds. The only break in the noise can be found from the reels of local fishermen, who even in the cold winter can be found fishing on the banks. For some of these men, they fish because it is the only way that they can reliably put food on the table. By making it difficult for people to access the river, the city of Hartford has deprived its residents of understanding the true beauty of a powerful waterway. The city now faces the challenge of reversing their prior design decisions for the betterment of the people.