Post on 30-May-2018
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Town Update
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T Up
The Brimfield Trail Committee (BTC)was established in 2006 for the purpose of
establishing recreational trails in theTown of Brimfield.
Organization History
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Brimfield Trail Committee
President:
Richard Costa
Secretary:
Tony Bys
Other Members:
Joe Balou, Jim Lamothe,
Paul Adams, Paul Watson,Scott Gerrish, David Bolte,Jeff Buckel, Bill Simonic,
Richard Haller, Ron Ignotz,Rob Mahlert, Chris Rabbitt,Larry Lowenthal
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Community Partners
Brimfield Board of Selectmen
Brimfield Highway Department
Brimfield Boy Scouts Troop
Local Businesses and Residents
Army Corp of Engineers
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Trail History
The Brimfield Trail System currently takes
advantage of two abandoned rail beds;the Grand Trunk Railroad and the
Springfield and Eastern Street Railway
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Trail History
The Grand Trunk Railway was chartered in 1910
to connect the port of Providence, RI to the CentralVermont Railroad in Palmer, MA . This was thevision of owner/financier Charles M. Hays.
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Trail History
Construction started on the Grand Trunk in 1912despite the death of Mr. Hays during the sinking of theTitanic forever linking the railway to the ill-fated ship.
However, without Mr. Hays, work on the railway endedwhen funding dried up during World War I
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Trail HistoryThe Springfield and Eastern Street
Railway was part of a trolley system that ranfrom Worcester to Springfield until the 1920s
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What has beenaccomplished
so far?
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Handshake Agreement
In 2007 a Handshake Agreement was reached withthe Army Corps of Engineers giving us $7400 with
1:1 matching funds from the Brimfield Trail Committeeand Town of Brimfield in the form of volunteer labor,equipment usage and transportation of trail materials.
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The main work to date has been to re-open theEast Brimfield section of the Grand Trunk and the
Springfield and Eastern trolley beds as recreationaltrails. The sections currently being worked on liewithin the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of
Engineers .
Handshake Agreement
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Handshake Agreement
This funding was used for the creation of aparking area on Five Bridge Road
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Handshake Agreement
Signage and gates
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Handshake Agreement
installation of culverts
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Handshake Agreement
an information kiosk
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Handshake Agreement
trail building and reclamation
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Handshake Agreement
brush clearing for creation of scenic vistas
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Handshake Agreement
and gravel for trail resurfacing.
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Handshake Agreement
We now have 1.5 miles of accessible trail fromFive Bridge Road to the Quinebaug River.
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Current Status
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Current Status
The Brimfield Trail Committee has beenawarded a grant from the
Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc.aka The Last Green Valley.The plan is to use these funds during 2009
on expanding the trail system on the
Army Corps of Engineers land.
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Last Green Valley Grant
$5,000 in 1:1 matching funds
Rental of a wood chipper
Heavy equipment /operators
More gravel
Clearing and reclamation of additional trail
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What is theFuture of the
Trail?
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On the West end of thetrail, a small bridge is
needed to continue thetrail towards theTown center.
The bridge will be builtusing donated old
telephone poles andpressure treated lumber.
Whats the Future of the Trail?
Bridge built on Westville Lake Trail
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Whats the Future of the Trail?
We hope to use thepipeline and come out
onto Holland Road onthe old Trolley Line.
Further West towardsMonson and
Palmer is still beingplanned.
Old Trolley Bridge on Pipeline
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At the East endof the current traila 85' long bridge is
needed to crossthe Quinebaug
River.
Whats the Future of the Trail?
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Whats the Future of the Trail?
With a bridge the trailcan continue to a
planned parking areaon Corp land onEast Brimfield-Holland Road
and further...
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Whats the Future of the Trail?
The Brimfield Trailis part of a much
larger 'Super Trail'that is plannedto run from
Palmer to Franklin
Sturbridge Villager July 18, 2008
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Whats the Future of the Trail?
Titanic Rail Trail Status
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Whats the Future of the Trail?
Palmer
Monson
Brimfield
Holla
nd
Sturbridge
Southbrid
geDudley
Web
ster
Thompson
DouglasUxbridge
Millville Blackstone
Bellin
gh
am
Frankli
n
Palmer
Monson
Brimfield
Holla
nd
Sturbridge
Southbrid
geDudley
Web
ster
Thompson
DouglasUxbridge
Millville Blackstone
Bellin
gh
am
Frankli
n
What does this mean forfuture of the Brimfield Trail?
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Whats the Future of the Trail?
Connect with other points of local interest!Sturbridge section of the Grand Trunk Trail
Streeter Point Recreation AreaCenter of Brimfield (Antique Show)Old Sturbridge Village
Sturbridge shops along Route 20
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How will the Trailbe funded in the
Future?
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Cost of Bridge Work
The 85ft. bridge over theQuinebaug River has beenestimated to cost $25,000just for the engineering
using existing Big Digbridges the Army Corp hasstored at the boat ramp.
Total cost has been
suggest to be around$200,000 to install thebridge.
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Cost of Bridge Work
To compare, a new bridgedesigned and built for thebike trail using the
Mass Highway system for
quick estimates
Feet in length x $200085 x $2000 = $170,000
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Cost of Trail Building
Handshake agreement: $7,400In kind match: $7,400
LGV Grant: $5,000
In kind match: $5,000Funding total: $24,800
Est. cost total: $125,000
Shortfall: $100,200This does not include the funds needed for bridges
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Funding for Trail Building
How do we get more $$$$? Fundraising
Additional Grants State and Federal Government Assistance
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Thank you for your interest in our trail project.
We hope you will come out and enjoy the trailand tell everyone you know to do the same!
For more information about the trail, visit our website: