October 4, 2010
Story by Larry Gomes
Pictures courtesy of Roger Richard
An overgrown section of the Berlin Trail behind memorial field was given a makeover by volunteers from the White Mountain Ridge Runners snowmobile club.
Not only is this a snowmobile trail, but it is used in the spring, summer and fall by residents and students in the surrounding neighborhoods as they travel to and from the ball fields and a playground located beside the trail.
The brush had gotten so thick that the club groomers could barely push through the trail in the winter. Club volunteers cut back the brush only to find out that the trail was slanted steeply down hill due to erosion.
So Matt Godbout of MG Construction volunteered his dump truck to bring in loam donated by the City of Berlin. Randy Cicchetto of Jericho Motorsports donated his tractor and his time to spread out the loam to level and widen the trail.
Larry Gomes and Roger Richard seeded the new loam and covered it with hay to prevent erosion.
This picture shows the trail as it heads West towards Berlin High School.
This picture shows the trail heading East towards downtown Berlin. Before this project, there was only a small pathway right along the fence for pedestrians and cyclists to use in the spring, summer and fall. Now they have a nice wide and level trail that will grow in with grass by next summer.
We never realized how many people used this trail until we started working on it. During two separate work days this fall, over two dozen people on bicycles and on foot passed by us. Once the new grass grows in next year, it should make a beautiful walkway.
The club would like to thank Laura Viger from the Berlin Parks and Recreation department and Pat MacQueen, Berlin City Manager for their support of this project.