Btc Town Report

Town Update

Organization History The Brimfield Trail Committee (BTC) was established in 2006 for the purpose of establishing recreational trails in the Town of Brimfield.

Brimfield Trail Committee President:

Other Members:

Richard Costa

Joe Balou, Jim Lamothe,

Secretary:

Scott Gerrish, David Bolte,

Tony Bys

Paul Adams, Paul Watson, Jeff Buckel, Bill Simonic,

Richard Haller, Ron Ignotz,

Rob Mahlert, Chris Rabbitt, Larry Lowenthal

Community Partners • Brimfield Board of Selectmen • Brimfield Highway Department • Brimfield Boy Scouts Troop • Local Businesses and Residents • Army Corp of Engineers

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

Trail History The Grand Trunk Railway was chartered in 1910

to connect the port of Providence, RI to the Central Vermont Railroad in Palmer, MA . This was the vision of owner/financier Charles M. Hays.

Trail History

Construction started on the Grand Trunk in 1912

despite the death of Mr. Hays during the sinking of the Titanic forever linking the railway to the ill-fated ship.

However, without Mr. Hays, work on the railway ended when funding dried up during World War I

Trail History

The Springfield and Eastern Street Railway was part of a trolley system that ran from Worcester to Springfield until the 1920’s

What has been accomplished so far?

Handshake Agreement

In 2007 a “Handshake Agreement” was reached with the Army Corps of Engineers giving us $7400 with

1:1 matching funds from the Brimfield Trail Committee and Town of Brimfield in the form of volunteer labor,

equipment usage and transportation of trail materials.

Handshake Agreement The main work to date has been to re-open the

East Brimfield section of the Grand Trunk and the Springfield and Eastern trolley beds as recreational trails. The sections currently being worked on lie within the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers .

Handshake Agreement This funding was used for the creation of a parking area on Five Bridge Road…

Handshake Agreement …Signage and gates…

Handshake Agreement …installation of culverts…

Handshake Agreement …an information kiosk…

Handshake Agreement …trail building and reclamation…

Handshake Agreement …brush clearing for creation of scenic vistas…

Handshake Agreement …and gravel for trail resurfacing.

Handshake Agreement

We now have 1.5 miles of accessible trail from Five Bridge Road to the Quinebaug River.

Current Status

Current Status The Brimfield Trail Committee has been awarded 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.

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

What is the Future of the Trail?

What’s the Future of the Trail? On the West end of the trail, a small bridge is needed to continue the trail towards the Town center. The bridge will be built using donated old telephone poles and pressure treated lumber. Bridge built on Westville Lake Trail

What’s the Future of the Trail? We hope to use the pipeline and come out onto Holland Road on the old Trolley Line. Further West towards Monson and Palmer is still being planned. Old Trolley Bridge on Pipeline

What’s the Future of the Trail? At the East end of the current trail a 85' long bridge is needed to cross the Quinebaug River.

What’s the Future of the Trail? With a bridge the trail can continue to a planned parking area on Corp land on East BrimfieldHolland Road and further...

What’s the Future of the Trail? The Brimfield Trail is part of a much larger 'Super Trail' that is planned to run from Palmer to Franklin Sturbridge Villager July 18, 2008

What’s the Future of the Trail? Titanic Rail Trail Status

What’s the Future of the Trail? What does this mean for future of the Brimfield Trail? Palmer

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What’s the Future of the Trail? Connect with other points of local interest!  Sturbridge section of the Grand Trunk Trail  Streeter Point Recreation Area  Center of Brimfield (Antique Show)  Old Sturbridge Village  Sturbridge shops along Route 20

How will the Trail be funded in the Future?

Cost of Railbed Rehabilitation Approximately 5 miles of trail utilizing a ten foot

wide firm gravel surface with 2 foot grass

shoulders on each side

Estimated Cost per mile: $25,000 Total cost: $125,000

Cost of Bridge Work The 85ft. bridge over the Quinebaug River has been estimated to cost $25,000 just for the engineering using existing Big Dig bridges the Army Corp has stored at the boat ramp. Total cost has been suggest to be around $200,000 to install the bridge.

Cost of Bridge Work To compare, a new bridge designed and built for the bike trail using the Mass Highway system for quick estimates Feet in length x $2000 85 x $2000 = $170,000

Cost of Trail Building

Handshake agreement:

$7,400

In kind match:

$7,400

LGV Grant:

$5,000

In kind match:

$5,000

Funding total:

$24,800

Est. cost total:

$125,000

Shortfall:

$100,200

This does not include the funds needed for bridges

Funding for Trail Building How do we get more $$$$? • Fundraising • Additional Grants • State and Federal Government Assistance

Thank you for your interest in our trail project. We hope you will come out and enjoy the trail and tell everyone you know to do the same! For more information about the trail, visit our website: