Rails-To-Trails Blazing In Newtown

By Kendra Bobowick

Some real, concrete steps have been made out in the woods near Swamp Road, noted resident Scott Coleman. With surveying completed and markers in place, he now knows precisely where town property stretches near abandoned railroad tracks running parallel to that street stretching from Route 25 near the Monroe town line toward Botsford Hill Road. With markers identifying the Newtown trails easement, he has his path marked out to continue the Rails-To-Trails path from Monroe into Newtown.

The first 629 feet of the rails path is a measured scope of work for Matt Bodwell, who will shape the trail as his Eagle Scout project.

“That will be his piece,” Mr Coleman said. “He will clean and widen it.” Pending town and scouting council approvals, Matt can begin work this summer. Stretches of steel rails along remaining parts of the property that abut the former Batchelder site will be removed. “I spoke to a recycler and they will pull it out without cost and recycle the steel.” This trail area borders private property.

In past months Mr Coleman arrived at a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to offer his help with trails. His motivation? “I like being involved in local things and it has always irked me that the [Rails-To-Trails] ends at Newtown. Coming out of Monroe it stops,” he said. Mr Coleman also sees a “nice Scout project” in carving out a trail.

Mr Coleman also noted an increased interest in passive recreation including hiking and biking in town. He aims to promote greenways and good stewardship of town land. He pictures the roughly 12-foot-wide trail as a place for bikes, hiking, walking, or pushing strollers.

The path will follow the rails in part, but will deviate as it gets closer to the Batchelder property.

“We may also lay it out in such a way that it goes around some of the existing larger trees … but we will stick to the 12-foot-wide plan even as we weave through the trees,” he said recently.

Starting with the Swamp Road area, Mr Coleman has rekindled an effort to form a trails committee in town. Recently he held a meeting where “a few people arrived.” He said, “Some people want to get on a committee, we may actually create a committee.”

Parks and Recreation Department Director Amy Mangold is behind his pursuit.

“I want to help him,” she said, noting that past efforts to start a trails committee had not coalesced. On a larger scale, town department members have met and talked about overall care and custody of open space, including trails.

The Rails-To-Trails Conservancy (railstotrails.org) is a nonprofit organization working with communities to preserve unused rail corridors by transforming them into trails. The mission of the conservancy is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.