New Point O’ Rocks Trail Planned

By Kendra Bobowick

Leaves and overgrowth now hide what will soon be a secluded trail on the town’s Point O’ Rocks Preserve near Dickinson Park.

Handing out packets to Parks and Recreation Commission members during a September meeting, trails members Scott Coleman and Mark Lurie described their vision for the town-owned open space.

“He has taken the lead on this project,” Mr Coleman said, nodding toward Mr Lurie. “Here is our concept.” While the recreation committee must grant approval, the Conservation Commission, which is responsible for Newtown’s open spaces, must also grant approval. Conservation and trails members walked the site together recently.

“We mapped a one-mile trail,” Mr Lurie said. He proposed using building techniques to construct a sustainable trail, saying, “You build it once, it lasts forever.”

The terrain presents “excellent opportunity” for a track for mountain bikers, which is Mr Lurie’s pastime. He also sees an opportunity to build a pump track “right off the rail,” he said. “There are none in Connecticut.”

The construction includes loops and berms where riders can pivot and twist through tight rises and turns.

Excited about the type of track, which is a newer trend for riders, he said, “This is my backyard, I’ll do it.”

Overall, the trail will run along the property border, avoiding the wetlands areas as much as possible. Concerned about steeper areas where horses, foot traffic, and bikes would pass, he suggested a series of switchbacks.

Crossing areas that “might need a boardwalk” or are filled with ferns and “a lot of wet,” said Mr Lurie, will be the most challenging sections.

Mr Coleman then asked, “We’re asking for approval for the trail to move forward.”

Recreation Director Amy Mangold called it “a great trail.” She likes that it would continue trails recently developed at Dickinson Park, to become a larger trails system. She also noted that BMX riders could move between the soon-to-be-established skate park at Dickinson and the Point O’ Rocks property.

Mr Lurie has offered to survey the site and establish a trail with help from volunteers, without asking for town funds. With an eye out for erosion, he said he can “cut a trailway, get down to compacted dirt so rain just slides off.”

“I think it’s a great project for the center of town,” said Recreation Chairman Ed Marks. “It will expand the footprint of Dickinson.”

All members accepted the trails project.

A mountain bike enthusiast, Mr Lurie is also responsible for constructing the “Upper Gussy” trail through the Upper Paugussett State Forest within the last two years.