Swimming hole where woman drowned often frequented by neighborhood kids

The general area of the river below the dead end cul de sac of Stair Falls Drive. (Rochester Voice photo)

EAST ROCHESTER - The area where a Rochester woman drowned on Thursday is a lazy part of the Salmon Falls River where children often cool off in the summer, neighborhood residents told The Rochester Voice on Saturday.
It boasts a grill and a bench, likely put in before the Stair Falls development was established many years ago.
The land where the development meets the river - less than a minute walk from the Stair Falls Drive cul de sac - is owned by the neighborhood's association. It is private land, but the association doesn't strictly enforce trespassers, said one local.
They said several years back, homeless people frequented that area of the river, but police took steps to remove them.
Now, they say, it's mostly kids.
Many neighborhood residents had seen several fire trucks, police, an ambulance and a rescue boat all down in their neighborhood on Thursday, but didn't know why.
Safety officials urged caution in the wake of the tragedy, but didn't cite specific hazards.
Doreen Allen, 40, was pulled from the water by responders shortly after state 911 dispatch received a call around 4 p.m.
Allen was taken to Frisbie Memorial Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
The swimming hole is a short distance from the end of Stair Fells Drive in East Rochester near Keay Field and Crow Hill Drive.
New Hampshire State Police - Marine Patrol, Rochester Police Department, Rochester Fire Department and Frisbee Ambulance personnel responded. Anyone who witnessed the incident is encouraged to contact New Hampshire State Police - Marine Patrol Sergeant Joshua Dirth at Joshua.E.Dirth@dos.nh.gov or (603) 227-2115.