MethuenRailTrail

Thank you to the large contingent that showed up at tonight’s meeting. We are making great strides. Finally we have enough interested volunteers to set an agenda and focus on some goals.

Among the things we discussed:

• We batted around the myriad of reasons that we won’t be seeing a train on that right of way anytime soon.
• We discussed several different organizational structures to get us up and running without having to go straight to a 501(3)(c) of our own.
• The city’s plans for enhancing the downtown with affordable housing and alternate walking paths and bridges was discussed as it will dovetail into our plans very well.
• The Feb issue of Methuen Life has a misleading image and caption regarding the affordable housing plan, it implies that the Railroad Depot would be at risk from possible development, Being part of the MBTA rail right of way it and the trail property are safe from any sort of construction or encroachment. In fact the presence of a shared use trail would increase the
• desirability of any abutting development.

RESULTS

• A tentative goal for our Friends of the Methuen Rail Trail organization will be to groom the trail from end to end to make it completely walkable by the end of 2009. This is dependent on having a signed lease for the property before we loose too many good weather months. So barring that, the goal would be to have a signed lease in hand by the end of 2009.
• A leasing committee is being put together to walk through the language on the draft lease provided by the MBTA. Volunteers please contact me.
• We are going to look into piggy backing our org under the flag of Methuen Conservation Commission.
• A couple of us are going to Topsfield next Wed to attend the Essex National Heritage Commission Rail Trail informational meeting.

The March meeting will soon be scheduled.

Tags: Methuen Rail Trail Alliance