Racing to get the job done before snow flies, a small, hardy crew completed the rail on the upriver side of the downtown bridge; all but the approach to the bridge is done and the rent-a-fence can be dismantled and returned.
If someone has a power hand auger that could dig four post holes, 4 feet deep, we would love for them to step forward so the approach to the bridge can be completed! (Contact paul.coats@lebcity.com)
New Railing
Scenic Overlook
Posted in Mascoma River Greenway Updates
Thanks to a generous additional gift from the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation, the Mascoma River Greenway has reached 95% of the Capital Campaign goal!
The end is within sight . . . can you help put us over the top?!
As we work our way westward, removing ties, plates, spikes, and rails, we are collecting materials that could one day be part of an art installation on the MRG. Here are spikes collected by volunteers on the “Day of Caring”, September 11. (Thanks to Russel Hirschler for the photo)
What might they become? A few examples of spike art:
“Ridin’ the Rails to Rockland,” a sphere sculpture consisting of railroad spikes -Rockland, Maine
“Spike” – Bear welded from 575 rusty, used, bent railroad spikes
“Iron Horse” (steam locomotives were once called “iron horses”)
There are, however, a few projects to be accomplished before installing art on the trail . . . Next steps, planned for this Fall, are completion of the downtown bridge over the Mascoma River (behind Goss-Logan Insurance) and installation of safety rails on the bridge over I-89. The good news is that Paul Coats has discovered a technique for safely removing the lead paint so rails can be installed. Other good news is that on Tuesday, October 20, at 6:30 at the Senior Center, there will be a public meeting to plan a new vision for downtown Lebanon. How will the Northern Rail Trail link to the MRG? We are hoping that link will be part of the vision. Will you be there? http://www.lebnh.net/news/downtownvision-oct20publicmeeting
Volunteers clearing trail near Miracle Mile, moving eastward
How fitting that Granite United Way would choose 9/11 as a “Day of Caring”, commemorating a day of wanton destruction with a day of community building and caring. There were two teams of volunteers working on the MRG. One team worked with MRG co-chair, Frank Gould, clearing weeds and saplings from the trail behind Miracle Mile, preparing for track and rail removal . . . back breaking work! The other team worked with our other co-chair, Paul Coats, clearing ties, spikes and iron plates from the MRG west of Sacred Heart Cemetery. (Mascoma Street)
Cleared trail behind Miracle Mile, looking west
Scenic view of the Mascoma RIver behind the Miracle Mile
Granite United Way “Day of Caring”
Friday, September 11, 2015
This coming Friday is a day for volunteers to support non-profits in their communities. The Mascoma River Greenway is one of the organizations hoping to get help that day. If you can be available, please sign up at the address below and help us bush whack a section of the Greenway or help clear the tracks. If you sign up to work on the MRG please notify Frank Gould go2teach@comcast.net so we can plan.
Sign up for “Day of Caring”
http://goo.gl/forms/QeY5TgIznH
We are delighted to have received a donation from Lebanon Girl Scout Junior Troop #12969, earned through their sales of Girl Scout Cookies. We hope it won’t be long before we see them on the MRG, biking, walking, x-country skiing on the trail they helped build! Thanks to their leader, Sarah Craig, for sending this photo.
Team Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk, a global pharmaceutical company with a facility in West Lebanon, has a special interest in cycling: they sponsor Team Novo Nordisk, the first professional team in any sport to be made up exclusively of athletes with type 1 diabetes. They are proving to be generous neighbors: thanks to Novo Nordisk we are now $75,000 closer to our goal!
The West Lebanon end of the MRG makes use of a path between the Powerhouse Mall and Riverside Community Park. Round-trip, the walk is less than a mile, my kind of challenge!
The path begins at the gazebo on the east end of the Powerhouse Mall parking lot, runs briefly along Glen Road, then heads into the woods toward the river.
Powerhouse Gazebo
Heading toward Mascoma RIver
Good-bye parking lot, hello natural world. Yes, you hear the sounds from the interstate, but you also hear the rush of river and glancing around, you start to notice the diversity of life.
Maples, oaks, crab apple, box elders, honeysuckle, blackberries, Solomon’s seal . . . I wish I had brought my field guides!
Box Elder Samaras
Honeysuckle
Solomon’ Seal Berries
My curiosity is piqued by these: nut or fruit?
Mystery!
Side Trail to River
In less than a half mile, one comes to Riverside Community Park. Children sliding, climbing and swinging; bikers and scooters experimenting with the ramps; freed from their gaming devices, they were playing the “old-fashioned” way.
Riverside Community Park Play Structure
Sliding!
Active Play!
Come explore this western end of the MRG. If you identify other trees, flowers, edibles, etc., let us know in the “Comments” and we will try to catalog the diverse life of this western end of the MRG.
Lead paint on bridge over I-89 delays installation of safety rails
The Mascoma River Greenway has been a complicated project involving the City of Lebanon, the State of N.H., the Claremont Concord Railroad, and the federal government. Step by step we move forward . . . with a few snags:
Successes:
* City of Lebanon approval of the project
* Official Abandonment and Discontinuation of the railroad tracks from mile marker 140 (eastern side of the bridge over the Mascoma River, near Timken) to Glen Road. Thanks to the offices of Schuster, Buttrey & Wing for their efforts in preparing the 7 pounds of legal documents required!
* The incredible effort of so many volunteers clearing the tracks of brush, ties, and tracks. The “in kind” contributions have been huge!
* The MRG Capital Campaign has reached 90% of its goal thanks to the support of major donors, local businesses, house parties, individuals . . . and Girl Scout Juniors cookie sales! Little more than $200,000 will bring us to our goal.
* City engineers have completed plans for the safety rails on Slayton Hill stone arch bridge and the downtown bridge/platform over the Mascoma River.
* Work has begun on the West Lebanon side, improving the trail from the Powerhouse Mall to Riverside Park.
Snags:
* The Tunnel: Deterioration and subsequent closure of the tunnel under the Lebanon Mall and Hanover Street has obstructed the joining of the Northern Rail Trail to the MRG. Fortunately the City is conducting a visioning study for the entire downtown Lebanon, including the tunnel, and will be seeking citizen input over the next few months.
* Complications with our fencing company and lead paint on the bridge over I-89 has delayed the plan to put pedestrian/bicycle railing on the bridge.
* The trail west of the I-89 bridge is marshy and will require EPA Wetlands approval. Application for approval has been completed and sent; we anticipate approval.
* The plan for the West Lebanon end of the trail relies on development of Iron Horse Park with a new road connecting Rt 4 to Seminary Hill. That development has been on hold for the past 2 years, and we do not yet know when it will move forward.
As we resolve the snags, weeds and brush are returning to the trail. This week, volunteers mowed and whacked weeds on the path from the Powerhouse Mall to Riverside Community Park in West Lebanon, as well as the path by the downtown Lebanon bridge over the Mascoma River. Thanks to all volunteers!
Frank Gould is looking for a few more volunteer weed-whackers. Might you help?
Newly mowed MRG near Goss Logan
(Thanks to Larry Kelly for the photo.)
Posted in Mascoma River Greenway Updates
The Mascoma River Greenway 