Quote:
Originally Posted by Biggd
It's great as long as it's not going through your back yard.  |
I know this is a controversial project and I certainly don't intend to add to it, but I wanted to share a first hand experience with a successful rail trail in our back yard, about 50 feet out the back door.
My grandparents have a camp on Mascoma Lake in Enfield that directly abuts what is now the Northern Rail Trail. When the discussion first began to turn the vacant rail bed into a multi-use trail,we also had reservations about the impacts on our enjoyment of camp and the lake. I am happy to report that 20 years later we have grow to love the easy access to the trail and the benefits that it brings. We worried about potential break-ins as there are not any full-time year round homes near the camp, but surprisingly we haven't been broken into since before the trail opened, before the trail it happened every couple of winters. Our theory is that the camp was isolated before and now there is a regular stream of walkers, cyclists, snowshoers, XC skiers, snowmobilers, etc. We also worried about vagrants, but to be honest there are less now than when it was an abandoned rail bed.
Our family uses the trail regularly throughout the summer season and we even find ourselves driving out to camp in the off season to park and use the trail.
The Northern Rail Trail brings a lot of business into the restaurants and stores in downtown Enfield, too, something that the Weirs and Laconia could benefit from.