The Mason Square Community Rail-Trail

2011-12-29T14:28:00.000-08:00

    In early November, my husband and I went to Leominster for the 1st Annual Massachusetts Trail Conference, sponsored by the MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB). The day was full of lots of good ideas from people who have successfully built trails in cities and towns throughout Massachusetts. We are hoping to use their advice and ideas here in our neighborhood.   One of the best presentations was about the economic benefit of trails - increased property values and hikers who eat at restaurants (tourism). I only hope that I can present this information to others as well as it was presented to me.
     Our Thanksgiving Day walk was on the Bay to St. James section of the rail trail - it was hit hard by the snowstorm just like the rest of the city. The difference is that no clean up has been done there- lots of broken branches are lying on the trail. It was a lot like walking in the woods.
   Having received the letter of support from the State Street Alliance, I have now submitted a new grant application to MassMutual. Back in May or June, we were given a verbal promise of "some" funding contingent on the support of the State Street Alliance. Now that we have the State Street Alliance on our side,
let's hope we get the funding for an engineering survey. We don't expect to hear until at least March.
     While we wait, we will kick around ideas for smaller projects. People keep asking me if we have done a title search. I have been told that this might cost anywhere from $400 to $200,000 - maybe not a small project. A simple search of state and federal databases for any record of reported environmental contamination might only cost about $500. A recent suggestion is to put in a stone dust path on the trail behind and adjacent to Rebecca Johnson School. Two arguments in favor of the stone dust path - one, a tangible beginning of the trail that has been talked about for almost two decades; two, the land is already owned by the city.
     Last winter I ventured onto the trail with my granddaughter. It was hard because the snow was so deep that I kept falling through. This year I am ready - I have snow shoes!

Grant application sumitted

2011-10-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Friday morning I submitted a grant application to WMECO. They seemed interested in April when I first submitted our application. Hopefully they are still interested.

Trail Update

2011-10-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

This blog was started by Neil Greene, MNC trail coordinator,who was hired by the McKnight Neighborhood Council with the help of a grantfrom the Mason Square Health Task Force. He did some great work for us. Hecompiled a notebook of information that will guide me in the continuing work ofmaking this rail trail a reality.
My name is Liz Stevens, McKnight Neighborhood resident and member of theMcKnight Neighborhood resident. I refer to Neil's notebook on a regular basisas I continue the work that Neil started. This is my first attempt at blogging.For my next attempt I will try to add more pictures. Wish me luck!!

Since the last posting - May 2010 - lots of background work has been going on.The McKnight Neighborhood Council(MNC) is the organization that is working onthis rail-trail. We continue to focus on the steps to build a trail: landacquisition, trail design, trail construction. At this point,the McKnight Neighborhood Council is focusing on the first phase - landacquisition. We will need to find the funds to purchase the land!
To put us in the position to ask people for the large amount of funds to buythe land from the railroad, we need to ask people for smaller amounts of fundsfor a land appraisal, environmental assessments, anengineering study and, maybe, a title search. We have started theprocess. The land appraisal was funded by Partners for a Healthier Communityand has been completed. I should have the copies later today.
I have submitted 5 trail-related grant applications this year. Twoorganizations turned down our requests. Two organizations have given uspromises which, hopefully, will come to fruition this year. The lastorganization should notify us soon one way or another. (We applied for a grantfrom them - Kodak American Greenways Foundation- last year, got turned downthrough a letter dated in September. We didn't hear from them yet - maybe thatis a good sign.)
In the meantime, I have been learning more about creating a budget for thispart of the work and putting together a few work projects.
April 30, 2011 was the 2011 Keep Springfield Beautiful Day. Our clean-upproject was on a smaller scale than 2010 but we still accomplished a LOT of trash removal. We worked on a section located nearthe corner of Bay and Dawes Street,going south to the True Vine Pentecostal Church. We had about 20volunteers that morning. If you haven't volunteered for Keep SpringfieldBeautiful day in the past, this is what happens. A wonderful group ofvolunteers spend a year planning how to get rid of all the trash that will getpicked up. They get help from the city of Springfieldand many private companies. They also plan how to provide lunch for thevolunteers. Then they do the really hard part of arranging for GOOD WEATHER.Once again we were blessed with good weather. I got advice from my friend MikeCass, the Springfieldgraffiti tsar, about how to organize our trash piles. We separated the trashinto tires, metal, electronics and miscellaneous. By noon we had done our workand lunch was dropped off - yummy sandwiches, fruit, cookies and water.
At the recommendation of one of our potential grantors, in August I attended ameeting of the State Street Alliance. I asked for andreceived their support for this project. I am just waiting for that officialletter of support but I have been assured that it is in the mail.
A fall clean-up project was held in conjunction with Springfield CollegeHumanics in Action Day. Five students, one alumni, myself, and two of mygranddaughters (Marion and Stephanie) removed stuff dumped on a section of theabandoned rail line that is accessible from Albany Street. Pieces of cabinet,electronic, fencing - that kind of stuff - was removed. Thanks to the city of Springfield, the stuffhas been or will be hauled away. Then the city of Springfield or Buckeye Pipeline will blockoff that access to TRY to prevent more dumping.

May 1, Keep Springfield Beautiufl + Volunteers + Big Machines = A Clean and Beautiful Trail

2010-05-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Volunteers work had on May 1 to help keep Springfield beautiful...
A local boyscout troop lends a hand clearing the trail.
Scrap metal from the trail was collected and recycled by Mr. Gray and his hardworking Bobcat.
Machines made trail clearing a lot easier and the trail a great deal cleaner
Happy Trails To You....

Here are Some Photos of our Recent Trail Cleaning. View the text below for information on our next workday.

2010-04-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

Trail Work Underway

2010-04-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

On April 10^th, at the Bay to St. James section of the Highland Division rail trail, the weather was perfect and 9 people turned out ready to work: Steve Gray and his amazing bobcat, his friend Susan, Liz and Mike Stevens, Neil Greene, Elizabeth Lederman, Pat Scahill, Tim Kirk, Ed Kelly and Tony Anthony.

With the help of the bobcat, a chainsaw, two weedwackers, a few other tools and some hard work, the trail is now passable to pedestrians and a truck. We hauled a nice pile of brush to the corner of Clifford and Bay which the DPW has agreed to pick up.

This work will allow us to proceed with the next phase of clean-up. This phase involves getting as much trash and debris as possible off the trail. We are hoping to enlist some volunteers (Boy Scouts, youth council and friends) on April 22^nd to create piles of trash ready for pick-up. Then on April 24^th, we will use trucks to haul the trash out to the street. Once again, the DPW has agreed to pick up whatever trash we haul out.

The final phase of the clean-up plan will take place on May 1, 2010 in conjunction with Keep Springfield Beautiful (KSB), the city wide clean-up. Once again, we will meet on the trail and haul out whatever trash we didn’t get on April 24^th. KSB has agreed to put one of their dumpsters at the corner of Clifford and Bay for this purpose.

Anyone who wants to get involved in this clean-up is welcomed. Invite your friends and neighbors to join in turning this trail into a green space in the city. See the schedule below. Contact Liz Stevens, 736-2136 or by email at: cnmstevens@comcast.net.

Date Time Meeting location

4/22 10 am Clifford and Bay

Sat, 4/24 9am Bay St. entrance to the trail

Sat, 5/1 9am Bay St. entrance to the trail

Support the Active Community Transportation Act

2010-04-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

Groundbreaking Congressional ACTion: "Active Community Transportation Act of 2010" Introduced in the House
This is a posting from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy that is worth checking out and supporting:

Please Speak Up for Critical Legislation for Trails, Walking and Bicycling

After years of organizing supporters around the country, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is excited to announce that on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) introduced H.R. 4722, the "Active Community Transportation Act of 2010" (ACT Act), on the floor of the House of Representatives!

The ACT Act is the direct result of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s (RTC) Campaign for Active Transportation. The Act would create a $2 billion program to fund dozens of communities around the country to improve their trail, walking and biking networks. If this bill is enacted, communities around the country will receive the resources to better allow Americans to walk and bike to the places you live, work, play, shop and learn.

To learn more about the ACT Act before taking action below, see our ACT Act background page.

The Rail-Trail Working Group planning for the May 1 Keep Springfield Beautiful cleanup day

2010-04-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

Members of the Rail-Trail Working group recently walked the trail in order to plan for the May 1 Keep Springfield Beautiful Work Day. On May 1, which is nationally known as the Great American Cleanup, working group and community members will be picking up trash along the trail and depositing it in dumpsters that will be stationed at Rebecca Johnson Elementary School. If you're interested in participating, please contact: Neil Greene @ trailgreene@gmail.com, or 413.426.2018

The sun sets over the St. James Street bridge on a nice cool spring evening.
Walking the trail right in their backyard, the McKnight residents are scouting out spots that need cleaning.

A Few Links Added

2010-01-26T12:54:00.000-08:00

I added a few links to the blog to help people research rail-trails. You can find other groups that are undertaking the same type of project we're working on here in Springfield, or learn more about issues surrounding rail-trails and agencies that are working to make Springfield a better place.

Don't miss the Enhancements link--this is the Federally funded program that is largely responsible for financing the new rail-trail in neighboring East Longmeadow. It's likely that our project will be funded by Enhancement funds, which the City of Springfield would have to apply for. There is the slight possibility that the McKnight Neighborhood Council, or another nonprofit could apply for the funds, but the city would ultimately have to undersign the deal.

Also, make sure to look at the Bruce Freeman Rail-Trail, the web site is a well-organized wealth of information.

Don't skip the Springfield Wellness Council's Partners for a Healthier Community, Inc, which was specifically founded to have a impact on the health of Springfield. This is exactly the type of advocacy group the rail-trail project needs. Representatives of the rail-trail working group will be making a presentation to the Wellness Council in the upcoming months.

A Step in the Right Direction

2010-01-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

It's taken about two months, but we have finally received word that PanAm (yes, that's PanAm like the airline—the railways are notorious for being bought and sold), the owners of the railway corridor that runs around the McKnight neighborhood, will be sending us their valuation maps. On the maps they will indicate which parcels they still own and which parcels they have sold. This is useful to our project not only because we will know what we need to purchase, but it also shows that we have opened a dialogue with the landowners/railway. And while a purchase of the property won't happen this month, it's a step in the right direction. The next step is to present PanAm with an appraisal.

The valuation maps are decades old but still quite relevant. They show what used to line the track: bridges, sidings, stations, factory pull-offs, grades and curvature. Not only are these historical documents useful regarding land acquisition, but they save our effort allot of time and research. When the time comes to hire a surveyor, we will already have maps that indicate where everything was—saving the surveyor time, and us money. Not to mention, that if we know where an old factory pull-off was, an environmental assessor knows where to investigate for possible contamination before purchasing the property. Knowledge of contamination is important as a pre-construction detail and purchase-price negotiation point.

2009-12-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

Why Does Springfield Need a Rail-Trail

2009-12-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

Springfield and Massachusetts Need Exercise

Exercise can help fight obesity and improve general health. For example, walking the rail trail twice, at a moderate pace, could burn approximately 400 calories. Not to mention that you’ll enjoy the fresh air and have a good time in your
community and city.

Why Fight obesity

* People who are overweight are more likely to develop disabling conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, and other disorders.

*Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise amongst young children.

*If something doesn’t change, obesity will overtake smoking as the number one cause of preventable deaths in Massachusetts.

Our effort to create a rail-trail is in sync with the Commonwealth’s effort to fight obesity with a healthier and more active lifestyle. Massachusetts recently created, Mass in Motion, a program that aims to promote wellness, and prevent obesity by focusing on healthy eating and physical activity. Springfield subsequently received a grant that helped create the Wellness Council. The Council’s primary task is to prioritize wellness initiatives that support healthy eating and active living.

Reduce Pollution and Automobile Congestion

The City of Springfield is the only municipality in the Pioneer Valley still in non-compliance with the federal Clean Air Act, both for carbon monoxide and ozone.

A rail trail would offer a non-motorized alternative to get from one place to another. Fewer cars on the road means less pollution in the air—less pollution equals fewer kids exposed to harmful pollutants

A Place to Exercise and Ride Your Bike Safely

There is a need for bike paths in the city. It doesn’t make sense to leave the city by car just so you can ride your bike safely. And if you’ve ridden a bike in Springfield, you know just how dangerous it can be: constantly looking over your shoulder for cars; watching out for people opening their doors into the bike’s right of way; nervously scanning the pockmarked street for a pothole deep enough to swallow bicycle and rider.The rail-trail offers the potential to safely ride your bike within your community.

Quality of Life

Springfield blends big city lights with small town charm. The McKnight neighborhood is a perfect example of this—Victorian homes close to downtown retain their old-time grandeur on stately tree-lined streets. The people in the McKnight neighborhood want to be able to exercise and move within their community safely. A rail-trail is a quality of life amenity that can retain and attract residents to Springfield.

The Beginning of Something Beautiful--The Trail Starting at State Street

2009-12-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here is where it all begins. This is the opening of the corridor at State Street and Hayden Avenue. This piece of land runs perpendicular to State Street and is located just behind Seven Seas Seafood. Notice how far the corridor stretches, and imagine how nice it must look in summer and fall: lush green trees flanking you on either side, or bright yellow, red, and orange leaves lighting your way.

Get to Know the McKnight Rail-Trail Project

2009-12-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

In the heart of Springfield’s McKnight Neighborhood, there is a long-forgotten railroad corridor that stretches around the neighborhood like a lucky horseshoe. Nestled between homes and cemeteries, industrial areas, and long stretches of hidden woods and streams, lies a great opportunity for the McKnight Community and City of Springfield.

The McKnight Rail-Trail is approximately two miles of abandoned railroad corridor. The tracks have been removed, but the wooden rail ties still remain—now almost entirely hidden beneath the flourishing flora and fauna.

The former corridor is a testament to the great possibilities and diversity of the neighborhood and city. On portions of the trail there are no visible structures—only trees rise up quietly from rail banks that used to rumble with freight cars. What a blessing to be surrounded by nature, and to feel alone in a city of 150,000. Walk a little farther, and giant blue industrial fuel storage tanks rise up, a reminder of our city’s industrial past and present. An old train bridge still stands on its granite foundation, its steel girders waiting for new wooden planks to hold up hikers and bikers. A hawk circles over the dry grass and disappears into the woods. In a sense, the corridor is a linear park that gets few visitors, but has a growing fan base.

In brief, what we’re trying to do is to turn the abandoned rail line into a hiking and biking trail. A task no doubt easier said than done. We can do it, but we cannot do it alone. Go for a hike on this blog to learn more about the trail. If you would like to learn how you can get involved, please contact us—and don’t forget to take a virtual tour of the trail while you’re here.