by Craig Lyons
Berlin Daily Sun
May 5, 2010
GORHAM — The Gorham Water and Sewer Commissioners will hold off on making a decision on whether or not to allow a snowmobile trail to run through the town forest.
At Monday night’s meeting, the commission wanted to have Water and Sewer Superintendent David Patry take an on-site visit with the snowmobile club to discuss the specifics of the trail, before making any formal decision on the proposal.
Representatives from the snowmobile club met with the commission to discuss opening a small portion of trail through the town forest for snowmobile use. Chairman Lee Carroll said he doesn’t see any major objection to the project coming forward, but wants to see if anything comes out of the onsite visit. The trail would run through a corner of the town forest, and create a loop connecting to existing trail systems in the area.
Last week, the Gorham Forestry Committee voted to approve a plan to open a stretch of land through the town forest to snowmobile use on the condition to Water and Sewer Commission doesn’t object to the proposal.
To prepare the land for trail use, no work would take place that would disturb any of the waterways through the forest. Steve Malespini, representing the snowmobile club, said the club wants to work on the trail without putting a shovel in the ground. He added for bridges, this would mean laying the structure on the banks without creating any sort of an abutment.
One feature of the trail is that it would solely be used for snowmobile traffic. “This trail is not designed or equipped for A.T.V.s,” said Malespini. Patry asked if the club would be willing to put up signs telling people A.T.V.s aren’t allowed on the trail. Malespini said that could be taken care of.
The commission is set to revisit the snowmobile trail at its next meeting.