Thread: Wow trail
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Old 12-05-2018, 02:39 PM   #7
Major
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheVoiceOfReason View Post
Thank you for clarifying your position. To be clear, I haven't formed an opinion on the trail one way or the other, but I'm a year-round Meredith resident so found your original comment interesting. A rebuttal to your 7 points from a "devil's-advocate" standpoint.

1. That's what the study is for, to determine if it's worth the investment. I grant you that one could argue that 40K for the study is waste enough.
2. No worse than any other construction, so should we just avoid improving any infrastructure? In today's society, DES would ensure that the environmental impacts would be minimal.
3. I'm not going to address this one. This forum has seen too much back and forth regarding whether the WOW trail is impinging on the rights of abutting landowners. I understand both sides and each person needs to make their own judgement.
4. There's no reason the two can't co-exist.
5. What's unsightly to some may be aesthetically pleasing to someone else. I haven't seen the fence design and have not even seen confirmation that a fence the full length of the trail would be required. There are already many unsightly things along Paugus Bay, a fence would be the least of our worries.
6. This is unfounded and amounts to fear-mongering IMO.
7. I know many good people on both sides of the issue. They are spread up and down the socioeconomic spectrum. Some would counter that it is a few "Laconia Elites" in a certain gated community that are the project's biggest objectors, so declaring the WOW Trail a movement propelled by "Laconia Elites" really isn't accurate.

Again, I very much respect your position on the issue, just merely playing devil's advocate.
Thanks. I enjoy the debate. I will address your comments in reverse order.

7. I grew up in Laconia, and trust me, none of the Laconia elites live in SD/LB. They are comprised of small business owners in the area. I can name names, but don't think it's worthwhile.

6. Regarding whether the WOW Trail is an avenue of egress for criminals, it's not opinion but fact. In another thread (I couldn't find it), the City published the number of incidents (calls) for the WOW Trail. It's staggering, something like 150 incidents over a six-year period. This number does not include the number of homeless people living in camps off of the WOW Trail that require evacuation from time-to-time. Also, I've had conversations with a former police chief who described the WOW Trail as an "avenue of egress" for criminals. The police are instructed to publicly downplay the criminal element, but privately, they hate the WOW Trail since it makes policing difficult.

5. Regarding the fence, if the trail and the railroad coexist, I'm pretty sure a fence is required. A fence will most certainly be required through SD/LB and in front of other private property if only for liability reasons.

4. WOW Trail organizers are going to make a heavy push for legislation to eliminate the railroad. If successful, this will achieve at least two advantages. It reduces the cost of construction. It also eliminates some huge design issues with Pickerel and Perch Coves.

3. Agreed.

2. Removing the railroad would incur some huge environmental issues caused by the chemically treated rail ties.

1. As a taxpayer, I don't want to pay for it.
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