Panel Discusses Nashua River Rail Trail

 Barbara Pike
   
       Representatives from the Nashua River Rail Trail discussed the trail from the perspective of the host communities at a meeting on September 13 in Carlisle, sponsored by the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. The 11-mile NRRT runs from Ayer through Groton, Pepperell, and Dunstable to the New Hampshire border.  Plans are underway to extend the trail for many miles in New Hampshire.
       Panelists included State Representative Bob Hargraves, who is also a resident abutter in Groton; Bob Lee, Town Engineer for Pepperell; Peter Cunningham, Groton Town Selectman and a resident abutter; and Nikki Belmonte, NRRT committee of Friends of Willard Brook.  The Willard Brook office of the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) oversees several mid-state DCR areas including the Nashua River Rail Trail.
       Representative Hargraves described the trail for him personally over the past five years as a “pleasure.” “It’s a nice, nice thing to have.  There have been virtually no problems,” he said. He indicated that abutting property owners in Groton  had not experienced any difficulty with trail users and that he had decided against using fencing or signs on his property abutting the trail.  He said that, although there had been no accidents,  Groton had considered “beefing up” its road crossings with more road markings, stop signs, better sight lines, and flashing lights.  He also feels that, with more usage, the trail is getting less trash.
       Bob Lee described how Pepperell has coordinated landscaping with the trail and created a small park in the town center with benches and a lighted clock tower.  Pepperell also has added additional parking for rail trail users, eliminating a few problems that store owners were having. He said that the trail was popular immediately and reported on a Conservation Commission poll that rated the rail trail as the most popular facility in town by a 2 to 1 margin.  The police, who patrol the trail on bikes and ATV’s at unscheduled times, report that the trail is more of an asset than a liability. There have been zero serious crimes in 5 years and and most calls are for minor problems such as first aid or to ask directions.
       Peter Cunningham said that the trail is an asset to Groton and draws the community together and is self-policing when people use it. It is expected to be the linchpin in the revitalization of the commercial section of Groton near the trail. Real estate agents affirm that properties near the trail have increased value. He described creative seating areas that had been constructed near bodies of water and feels that fencing does work to keep people off environmentally sensitive areas adjacent to the trail.  “People don’t go over the fences,” he said.  He added that the trail is a great way to bring people to nature.  He pointed out that before it was a trail, it was a railroad, and somehow the wildlife managed to coexist with the trains.  Now, wildlife abounds along the trail.
       Nikki Belmonte, who is a resident of Ayer and a employee of DCR, described herself as an avid birder.  She works with the Friends of Willard Brook to coordinate programming that will celebrate different uses of the trail, bring awareness of the rail trail, and ensure universal access. Friends of Willard Brook are sponsoring a “Rail Trail Day” on September 30 that will focus on safety, universal access and family activities. She indicated that minor problems with outdoor toilets in Ayer had been solved by locking them at night.
       The panelists were universally positive about the effect that the rail trail has had in their communities. When completed, the trail will go to Mine Falls Park, at Exit 6 on Route 3 in Nashua.