Bay Colony Rail Trail Needham

How to Get to Chestnut Street?

Planning, Update Comments Off

Jun 272017

The Trail in Needham has become a valued and popular resource for town residents, each week seeing hundreds of walkers, bikers, joggers and strollers.

But for many, the trail ends too abruptly as one heads from the river eastward toward High Rock St and beyond. The value of the trail would be increased manyfold if there were a natural and accessible route to Chestnut Street, a path that would enable commuters to get to the train station, shoppers to get to local stores, and travelers in general to cross through Town along a more scenic route.

While there is more immediate work to be done on the trail, including the development of a trailhead near the current High Rock terminus, this is a call to re-energize the discussion on completing the original vision of the Needham Trail, linking the Charles River to the commercial district of Chestnut Street.

As a starting point perhaps, here is a link to a study done in 2014 that details two alternative routes: one on the MBTA right of way, the other making use of the NStar (now EverSource) property adjacent to the tracks.

Here are images of the two alternatives:

Rail Trail Clean-Up Day, Oct 15

Events, Update Comments Off

Sep 292016

Town-wide Cleanup: On Saturday, October 15, 10:00 – 12:00: there will be a day focused on picking up trash all over Town, organized by Park & Rec and the Department of Parks and Forestry. This is a good time to get a bunch of people out on the trail to clear brush, leaves, trash and generally patrol to make sure the path is clear. This is what trail stewardship looks like – not hard work, but it needs to be done regularly: probably twice a year when the Town holds its cleanup days.

We are hoping to have three or four crews, each with up to five people, with each crew taking a portion of the trail. We are looking to get volunteers from this group to lead each crew. Please let me know if you are willing to lead or simply participate in the clean-up.

If you are willing to participate in the cleanup, please click here to sign up!

Needham Trail Opening Event Details

Events Comments Off

Apr 162016

We hope you can join us for a short celebration event on May 1st at 2:00, to mark the completion of the first phases of Needham’s rail trail project! We also want to acknowledge the donors and volunteers that have made this all possible.

The event will consist of remarks from local dignitaries, such as our State Rep. Denise Garlick and Matt Borrelli, current chairman of the Needham Board of Selectmen. We’ll have cakes donated by Sudbury Farms and Hazel’s Bakery to honor the trail’s birthday. And there will be an information booth about the trail and some giveaways, like Bay Colony Rail Trail water bottles (in limited supply).

For younger kids, the Needham High School Rail Trail Club will host a scavenger hunt on the trail, beginning at 2:30, with prizes for everyone who completes the hunt!

Of course, what we really hope is that you’ll come and acknowledge the accomplishment that so many have enabled, and then walk, bike or jog the trail itself!

While we hope and expect that many will bike or walk to the opening, there will be ample parking available. Parking will be on the site between Charles River Street and Fisher Street. Needham Police will remove the gate next to the trail on Charles River Street, and you will be directed to park in a large open area adjacent to the trail. Additional parking is available at Redwing Bay, as shown in the image below.

Grand Opening Sunday May 1st!

Events Comments Off

Mar 172016

At long last the trail in Needham has arrived, and plans are underway to celebrate the milestone!

Please join us on Sunday May 1st, from 2:00 – 4:00 on the trail between Charles River Street and Fisher Street, where just after 2:00 we will hold a short ceremony and formal ribbon cutting to mark the occasion.

There will also be some food and refreshments and a booth with information about the trail. And as a special bonus, the Needham High School Rail Trail Club will host a scavenger hunt for kids under 10.

More details to come. In the meantime, feel free to get out and enjoy the trail now! More amenities will continue to be added, such as benches, signage and kiosks, but the trail itself is very accommodating right now, and already seeing a good amount of usage.

Dec 5th Needham Trail Opening Event Postponed!

Update Comments Off

Nov 022015

With the second half of the trail construction project underway in Needham, volunteers had been planning to hold a trail opening event along the 1.7 mile path on Saturday, December 5th.

Unfortunately, the trail won’t be close enough to completion by the 5th so the event has been postponed. Instead a Grand Opening in the Spring is envisioned.

A completed trail is still expected by the end of the year, weather permitting. But the additional time will allow for amenities to be added, like signage and kiosks.

Stay tuned here and elsewhere for more information as it becomes available.

Fun Indoor Ride to Support BCRT!

Events, Funding Comments Off

Sep 242015

Saturday, October 17, 2015 from 4-5 pm

Please join us on Saturday, October 17 for an exciting and energetic indoor charity ride at CycleBar in Wellesley. This ride will benefit the Bay Colony Rail Trail Association (BCRTA). Continued funding is needed for the installation of signs, fencing, kiosks, benches and road crossing improvements for the Needham corridor and 100% of funds raised will go towards making these improvements.

CycleBar Wellesley is the Boston area’s original indoor cycling studio. Since 2005, CycleBar has been providing an array of spinning classes in their state of the art studio. Bill Pryor, co-founder of CycleBar and an abutter of the trail, will be our instructor. After the class, we will have refreshments and hear the latest news on the trail construction.

We are asking for a minimum donation of $20 from each rider. Donations can be made through the link at the top and bottom of this page, or at CycleBar on the day of the ride. For more information on the event, please contact Andrew Pittman. All riders will need to sign a release of waiver at this page on the Cyclebar site prior to the ride.

If you’d like to support the BCRTA but will be unable to attend the event, you may use the BCRTA website to do so. We appreciate your support!

We hope to see you Saturday, October 17 at 4 pm!

Stop by the BCRT Booth at the Needham Street Fair, Saturday June 5th!

Update Comments Off

Jun 052015

Needham’s annual Street Fair will be held on Saturday, June 5th, from 10:00 to 3:00. Following our custom for the past five years, BCRT will have booth at the fair – usually in the middle of the town common.

Come by and learn about the fabulous progress over the past month or two, and learn when we’ll have a completed trail (it won’t be long). You can also learn what more there is to do, and the focus of current fund-raising, which will support a range of amenities along the trail. Perhaps we’ll have a flower-laden three-wheeler along the trail, like the one Susan Kirk will be bringing to the fair.

Your financial support is always welcome. This year we are raffling off a Large Garden Planter filled with flowers/plants donated by Hillcrest Gardens (approximate retail value: $135.00).

Stop by and say hello, provide some (more) support for the project and take a shot at the planter!

Rail Trail Project Construction Begins!

News Comments Off

May 012015

Thanks to the enthusiastic support of hundreds of Needham families, the hard work of a core group of volunteers and the professionalism and focus of Town staff, work has begun in the rail trail project. In this phase, rails and ties are getting removed by construction contractor McConnell Enterprises of Braintree. The removal process is expected to take about three weeks.

Photos from the first week below:

Remarkable News: The State Steps Up

Funding, News Comments Off

Jan 152014

Last night at the Needham Board of Selectmen meeting, our state representative Denise Garlick announced that the state had evaluated our request for funding the trail more closely, and determined that we qualified for the full $70,000 originally requested.

In November, Rep. Garlick received preliminary word that the State would fund $40,000 of our request. However, at the Ways and Means Committee meeting on this subject, it was determined that the project is well structured and the needs clearly defined, so the State actually increased the amount it would contribute to our project.

This is incredible news: it means that we are at 92% of our goal – within $18,000. This provides enough confidence that we can begin planning for the trail project itself, as early as this summer.

There is still more to do, of course, and the trailheads at High Rock and Charles River Streets would add considerable value, once we identify additional funding.

But in the meantime, thanks to Rep. Garlick, who has been steadfast in her support of the project, we are within spitting distance of getting the trail started!

Fresh City Steps Up

Funding Comments Off

Dec 222013

Here’s a chance to enjoy a meal out, buy a great gift, and support the rail trail at the same time.

Our friends at Fresh City on Needham St. in Newton have made two generous offers to Bay Colony Rail Trail supporters:

Thinking Fresh Gift Card Sales: Buy gift cards at Fresh City Newton and 20% of the gift card purchase will go to the Bay Colony Rail Trail. You can buy a gift card from Shawn Lander, General Manager, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1-9 and Saturdays from 11-9. Bring the attached coupon with you, so Fresh City will have a paper trail of the number of people participating in this promotion.

Fresh City Newton Event on Monday, January 27: Bring the coupon to Fresh City Newton on Monday, January 27, and 15% of the sales from people using the coupon will go to the Bay Colony Rail Trail. The promotion applies to dine-in and take-out.

Please note the promotions are at the Fresh City Newton Location:

241 Needham Street, Marshall’s Plaza, Newton, MA 02464

You can print out extra copies for your friends or just forward this email along to them.

The bottom line: The more folks that visit Fresh City in Newton, the more they’ll contribute to the rail trail.

Older Entries

Signs, Benches, Kiosks, etc.	$10,000
Additional Privacy Fencing	$15,000
High Rock Trailhead	$85,000
Charles River St Trailhead	$100,000
Funding Target Total	$210,000