TRAILS COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
March 16, 2010
Attendees: Denny Nackoney, Joan Gaughan, Rina Rub, Diane Hall, Bob White
Citizens: Jarred Parker (Kiwanis Club), Kent Fox
Jarred is the Kiwanis coordinator for the upcoming Longfellow Pond area cleanup. the Trails Committee along with the Kiwanis and WHS Key Club will conduct a cleanup and trail work project in the Longfellow Pond area on Saturday April 10th at 9:00 am. We will meet in the Longfellow Pond parking area on Oakland St.
It is very likely that our FY11 Capital request of $5,000 will be eliminated. We still have approximately $6500 in Capital carryover from prior years.
After the meeting the Fuller Brook Park Coordinating Committee, which consists of representatives from the NRC, Selectmen, Schools, Historic, DPW, neighbors, CPC and Trails took a walk on the entire length of the park. After several public hearings decisions will be made on the width and composition of the path. Areas receiving extra attention will be the section between State and Paine, although the Trails option which is a path through the School triangle at Rice St received favorable comments and the section between Paine and Forest where the Master Plan shows a boardwalk. Construction costs and maintenance issues along with public comments will have determine the final design. It is anticipated that this project will take up to six years to complete. I discussed our thought to conduct another Brook Path
usage study. Chris Green of Halvorson Design did not believe that a survey was needed since usage has probably not changed substantially since the last survey. As we were walking, I noted that the DPW has installed several street crossing signs along the path. We should consider using their posts for our directional arrows. The pedestrian access at the east end of the football field has been installed and Denny has marked the path.
We will conduct as geo-caching event in the fall in pace of Kid's Day. We will probably hold it in the Town Forest with a combination of GPS and directional sites. Details will be developed over the next several months.
The ZBA will hold a hearing on 27 Washington St (Grossman's) on April 15th. I will attend to view their plans for the railroad right-of-way and their path which runs along the river and should connect with the DCR path to Boulevard Rd.
The DCR anticipates a May construction start on the bridge, with a fall completion.
The CRWA clean-up will be Saturday April 24th at 9:00 am. We will meet at the River St parking lot in Lower Falls.
Diane has received several samples of hats for Trail walk leaders. We have selected a color and Diane will order the hats.
I will notify the Planning Board of our desire to have at least five dedicated trail user parking spots in any plan for the St James Church redevelopment plan.
Denny is cleaning up graffiti at rocky Ledges and we are still interested in working with the MWRA on the graffiti at Waban Arches.
We will schedule several work parties to remedy drainage issues at Rockridge Pond and the Guernsey Path at our next meeting which will be Wednesday April 28th at 7:30 in the NRC Office. Note that this is a change from the date proposed at this meeting.
Bob White
Chair WTC
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