How Far We Have Come! Next Steps?

MRG Clearing Effort – Summer 2013

Do you remember how the Greenway looked ten years ago? There was a vision:

“The Mascoma River Greenway (MRG) will be a 4 mile multi-use separated pathway starting from the current terminus of the Northern Rail Trail at Spencer Street in downtown Lebanon, NH to West Lebanon’s Rt. 12-A and Seminary Hill, extending the Northern Rail Trail from its beginning in southern NH. The MRG will be the core transportation corridor for bikes and pedestrians through the heart of Lebanon and West Lebanon, connecting Lebanon’s neighborhoods with workplaces, schools, open spaces, shopping areas, restaurants, a medical center and transit stops.”

Did we fully appreciate how many steps there would be along the way? So much problem-solving! Negotiations with the State of NH and the railroads, fundraising, access points, parking, maps, benches, kiosks, bridge reconstruction, erosion control, tunnel redevelopment, collapse of the Iron Horse Park plans that would facilitate reaching West Lebanon.

It has taken huge effort on the part of many people (browse through this blogsite to see some of that effort), including lots of volunteer energy to get us where we are today. And there is lots of energy building, in West Lebanon in particular, to complete and expand the vision. Last October, a host of volunteers turned out for the clean-up and revitalization of the Bridge Street area – a new park which now has picnic tables, story signs, and many more trees and plantings. (See Photos and Lebanon Times article on the event.) And then take a look at an expanded vision of developing the Westboro Yards Waterfront Park and connecting the trail to downtown West Lebanon, to Vermont, to Boston Lot and beyond. You can join the mailing list at that expanded vision site and follow the progress . . . and maybe join in the effort? Lots of other resources available at that site.

Here is the text of Cindy Heath’s tribute to the MRG founders and supporters at the official Opening Day of the MRG in 2018.