Archive for the ‘ MRTA Notices ’ Category

May 2nd Methuen Clean up Day!

The Methuen Rail Trail group will be out at
the Nevins Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday
May 2nd from 9:00 to 12:00 to pick up trash.

The city will be providing trash bags and free t-shirts for those who sign up to attend.
Those who can’t sign up for a t-shirt are encouraged to come anyway.
See the Wild life Sanctuary meet other members and show your support for the trail project.


(BTW if you get their extra early you may catch a glimpse of the beavers, who are very early risers.)

We will be meeting at the end of Pine St.


View Methuen Rail Trail in a larger map

April 14th, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

Methuen Spring Cleanup May 2nd

In keeping with Methuen’s Neighborhood Spring Cleanup Day, Rail Trail volunteers are invited to come help us pick up trash at the Nevins Wildlife Sanctuary

Saturday, May 2, 2009. 9am-Noon.

Gloves and trash bags will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. Tools are not all that necessary in the sanctuary. The exact meet-up location and project site will be decided next week by Conservation Officer Joe Giarrusso.

mrtducks

The MRTA Online Petition

Using ThePetitionSite.com we have started a petition in support of the Methuen Rail Trail. We are hoping to get at a large percentage of Methuen residents to sign.

It appears now on the left sidebar of this website–>

This is what you would be signing:


We the undersigned support the development of the Methuen Rail Trail. We believe Methuen residents deserve a safe place to recreate; a place for people of all abilities to walk, run and cycle without competing with automobiles for fresh air and the shoulder of the road. We want our city to connect to adjoining projects in the immediate area such as the Salem Bike-Bed Corridor and eventually to paths and trails beyond. We believe that this trail will decrease carbon emissions, reduce car traffic, enhance the health of our citizens, encourage all forms of exercise, and create a place for our community to connect with each other and with our natural environment.

We ask the Mayor’s office and the Methuen City Council to support this effort too.

After signing the petition please continue to http://www.methuenrailtrail.org/ for photos, maps and other info about the trail.

Please use this URL http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/methuen-rail-trail-petition
and send the petition to everyone from Methuen, who is in your address book.

The Petition is also on Facebook @ http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/view?pid=267474207
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April meeting Wed 29th at 7pm


deer tracks, originally uploaded by jgodsey.

At Nevins Library in the Garden Room

March 31st, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

MRTA March meeting reminder

Wednesday March 25th at 7pm
Nevins Library ,
in the Study Room

Please join us.

March 5th, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

MRTA March Meeting Scheduled


Wednesday March 25th at 7pm
Nevins Library ,
in the Study Room

I am hoping the better weather will bring people out whom I haven’t met before. And PLEASE people bring a friend or two.

February 18th, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

February Meeting

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.

February 13th, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

MRTA February Meeting

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.

February 13th, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

February meeting scheduled


The January Meeting was such a success, we are penciled in for Wed Feb 11th @ 7pm again in the Trustee’s Room of the Nevins Library.

Attendees Rachael and Harry Banks turned out to be extremely enthusiastic about the project, as well as State Representative Linda Dean Campbell who popped by to get in on the project. Rep Campbell gave us the low down on other plans for the downtown area which will dovetail nicely with the trail project. Folks who pop by the Feb meeting will be brought up to speed on what we have been up to.

February 2nd, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »

Rail Trail Presentations in Topsfield

From: essexheritage.org
Sent: 1/22/2009 4:39:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Rail Trail Presentations, February 18, Topsfield

Essex Heritage is pleased to provide notice of an upcoming event regarding the development of rail-trails in our region. As you know, Essex Heritage is working with eight communities, MassHighway, MVPC, MAPC, and National Grid to plan and develop the long envisioned Border to Boston Trail, a 28-mile trail stretching from the New Hampshire border in Salisbury to Danvers.

Bill Steelman
Essex National Heritage Commission
(978) 740-0444
bills@essexheritage.org


The Topsfield Rail Trail Committee invites you to a special evening of Rail Trail talk :

Wednesday, February 18, 7:30 PM Gould Barn, Topsfield (directions)

Stephen Winslow, Esq. will talk on the Massachusetts Chapter 21: Section 17C. Public use of land for recreational, conservation, scientific educational and other purposes; landowner’s and liability limited. He knows it well since he was involved in its creation while on the Governor’s council. Steve is the President of Bike to the Sea and the Northern Strand’s trail effort. See Bike to the Sea.com which goes from Malden to Revere.

Craig Della Penna wears many hats including that of railroad historian, real estate broker specializing in properties on or near recreational paths, and has authored several books on rail trails in the east. You will find out more than you ever wanted to know at Greenway Solutions and CraigDP.com but to see and hear him speak volumes is a great experience.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Joe Geller, Chairman
Topsfield Rail Trail Committee
978 887-7000
jg@gellermicro.com

January 29th, 2009  in MRTA Notices No Comments »