An open grassy hillside descends from the reservoir all around, with the north end facing onto West Genesee Street having the tallest and longest slope, popular for sledding in the winter. The reservoir is considered to be the best place for sledding in the entire Syracuse area, despite the "No Sledding" signs posted along the fence at the top of the hill. On January 10, 2009, a 12-year-old girl, Taylor Denson, was sledding down the reservoir when she couldn't stop herself and slammed head first into a parked car. She sustained severe head injuries and died 3 days later. As a result, the city of Syracuse proposed that an orange fence be put up around the reservoir to further prohibit sledding, and to keep people safe.