Miles to go for rail-to-trail project

Wakefield Observer
By Travis Lovett
Wed Oct 24, 2007, 12:29 PM EDT

Wakefield’s Rail-to-Trail committee members believe the four-and-a-half miles of littered, abandoned MBTA rail line running from Wakefield Junction to Reedy Meadow in Lynnfield is the town’s greatest untapped asset.

Despite their optimism, the committee still needs to raise over $500,000 in order for the linear park project to move forward. This money is needed to pay for engineering costs and environmental liability insurance.

“We’ve had a lot of good progress,” said former Selectman Kevin Scott, who serves on the town’s Rail-to-Trail committee. Scott said he believes the total project cost to develop the trail and surrounding park area will be around $5 million.

“This project is basically only half a million dollars away from something that can actually be accomplished,” said Selectman Al Turco. “Elected officials at this point are the only people who can raise that kind of money for us.”

Turco said Gov. Deval Patrick is planning to file a transportation bond bill that could help pay for much of the project.

“If we can obtain this funding, we can obtain an amenity that will benefit the town of Wakefield for years and years,” Turco said.

The purchase of the right of way from the MBTA has already been completed, Scott said.

“It’s pretty much a pipedream that we could purchase a 4.5 mile right of way,” Scott said. “We’re getting this right of way [from the MBTA] for a dollar.”

He said the only issue they have with the MBTA at this point is the environmental liability to the town.

Environmental liability is necessary because rail corridors may be polluted by oil, creosote (a wood-treating chemical), asbestos and arsenic. Without insurance, the town would be held liable for any harm caused by any pollutants on the property. Selectman Jim Good questioned how the town would minimize environmental risks to residents.

“You know how much oil and coal and sulfur penetrated that soil?” Good said. Turco said it would take years and millions of dollars to excavate polluted soil, but that the committee determined another way to handle the problem.

“The best practice is that you don’t clean it up, you cover it,” Turco said.

Selectman John Encarnacao questioned how the rail-to-trail project would impact other improvement projects in town.

“I know the town of Wakefield has several projects that we’re trying to take care of,” Encarnacao said. “I don’t know whether or not there’s competition with these kinds of projects. The road projects that we have on the horizon are badly needed.”

Turco said the committee is seeking to raise money from the state and private resources. The committee is currently seeking input from residents, especially those who live next to the rail line. Scott said residents have had a number of concerns about noise, pollution and safety of residents. “Their concerns are legitimate,” Scott said. “[The park] is something we want to make sure is implemented correctly, policed correctly.”

CPA update

Wakefield will receive $375,000 from the state to fund renovation plans for the Wakefield Center for the Performing Arts, according to Peter Scott, the Center’s president. Scott said he is seeking an additional $375,000 from private donors and other funding sources.

Scott said one condition of the state grant specifies that all funds must be used before June 30, 2008. Construction for the project is planned for the summer of 2008. Selectman Al Turco suggested filing an extension for the project.

“If one doesn’t get the extension, the town doesn’t get the money,” Turco said. “I think this is something you’d closely want to work with town counsel on.”

Scott promised that the renovation plans will move forward. Renovations include adding new lighting, enhanced acoustics, upholstered theater seats, a sound system and a control room. The Center will add an additional 125 seats, increasing the seating capacity to 275. Scott said the control room could always be added at a later time.

“If I can’t find a way to raise the last hundred thousand [dollars], we’ll find a way to do the project,” Scott said.