Today town officials, volunteers and various supporters gathered to commemorate the opening of the Trolley Brook Trail with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The 1/2 mile long paved route connects from downtown Ashland, (Megunko road near Stone Park), to Memorial Drive, near the Ashland Middle School and the future site of the YMCA. This is just the first piece of the Ashland Upper Charles Trail, which will eventually connect Ashland to Sherborn, Holliston, Milford and Hopkinton and points beyond.
Above photos by Philip Bosinoff
Ribbon Cutting
First biker (Preston Crow) to use Trolley Brook Trail after Official Opening Ceremony
Above photos by Matthew Marshquist
Town officials and members of the Ashland Upper Charles Trail Committee hold the ribbon while Jenn Ball prepares to cut it. (Photo by Ashley Place)
The five-town, regional Upper Charles Trail, which was originally envisioned by Reno Deluzio of Milford and Robert Weidknecht of Holliston, was brought to life here in Ashland through the efforts of the Ashland Upper Charles Trail Committee with strong support from the many people and organizations listed below.
The Friends of the Ashland Upper Charles Trail would like to extend our deep appreciation to the various volunteers, staff and leaders who helped to provide guidance, planning, engineering, labor, funding and promotion of the trail.
The Ashland Upper Charles Trail Committee-Joel Arbeitman, Valerie Paul, Tony Lewis, Doug Costello, Preston Crow, David Rosenblum, Rob Scherer, Marty Ring, Chuck Lidz, and past members William Child and Rick Hampson.
The Ashland Select Board– Joe Magnani, Yolanda Greaves, Steve Mitchell, Brandi Kinsman, Rob Scherer
Town of Ashland Staff
Michael Herbert – Town Manager
Jenn Ball – Assistant Town Manager
Peter Matchak - Town Planner
Beth Reynolds - Director of Economic Development and Community Outreach
Ashley Place - Communications and Cultural Coordinator
Diane Mortenson – Personnel/Financial Assistant
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Karen Spilka – represented at the opening by Susan Nicholl
Jack Lewis - State Representative for Ashland and Framingham
Peter Sutton - MassDOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator
Kevin Hollenbeck and Paul Jahnige - DCR State Parks
Libby Knott and Amanda Lewis - DCR Mass Trails Grant Program
David Loutzenheiser- MAPC Senior Transportation Planner
Friends of the Ashland Upper Charles Trail- Matthew Marshquist, Philip Bosinoff, Kamatchi Vijayakumar, Vijay Subramanian, Judy Rosenthal, Steve Crocetti, Scott Little, Cathy Rooney, Greg Wands
Project team
Bill Paille – BSC Group (Engineering Project Manager)
Mark McCloud – Ramco Survey Stake Co. (contractor which built the trail))
Community supporters
Aaron Ladd - Ashland Community Preservation Committee (CPC)
Rick MacPherson - President & CEO of MetroWest YMCA
Peter Waisgerber - Chief Development Officer of MetroWest YMCA
Rick Alberini (business owner abutting the trail)
Media - WACA TV